Malema Takes Aim at Operation Dudula's Zandile Dabula After Viral Interview, South Africans Weigh In
- Economic Freedom Fighters' President Julius Malema has slammed Operation Dudula following an ENCA interview
- This comes after the Operation Dudula leader, Zandile Dabula, struggled to answer a question posed by an ENCA journalist
- The video has since gone viral, with social media users sharing their thoughts about the interview
Commander-in-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, expressed his thoughts on the viral ENCA interview of the leader of Operation Dudula, Zandile Dabula.
Source: Getty Images
What happened during the interview?
During a live discussion on ENCA on Sunday, 19 October 2025, host Asanda Beda questioned Dabula about the Frontline States in relation to Operation Dudula’s actions against migrants from those countries. Despite several prompts, Dabula appeared uncertain and was unable to define the term.
The Frontline States were a coalition of southern African countries, including Angola, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, that supported South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle from the 1960s to the 1990s, providing military aid, training, and enforcing sanctions.
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Dabula admitted that she did not know what the term meant, resulting in an awkward moment that quickly went viral online. The discussion happened amid Operation Dudula’s recent clinic blockades targeting migrants, which many believe run counter to the historical support South Africa received from neighbouring countries during apartheid.
What did Malema say?
Malema slammed Operation Dudula. In a social media post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the EFF leader said that South Africans are subjected to misguided information. He expressed frustration over what he views as uninformed leadership within anti-immigrant movements.
"We are subjected to rubbish, like proper garbage with no clue non whatsoever. Mxm," Malema's post said.
Malema has consistently criticised Operation Dudula, calling it a harmful group in September 2025 and calling for investigations into its activities. His recent remarks align with the EFF’s pan-African stance, which wants solidarity with other African nations. The party opposes xenophobic policies, stating that they divide the working class and distract from pressing issues such as unemployment and inequality.
Source: Twitter
South Africans weigh in
Social media users shared their opinions regarding what Julius Malema said.
@ThabangTalks said:
"Rubbish and proper garbage is a leader who doesn't know the price of bread, yet says he understands the plight of the poor and working class. You wear clothes of names you can't pronounce nor know their history, yet you want to crucify someone for not knowing a political term."
@LadyM1306 said:
"Zandile gives a lot of men chest pains. Grown men who support illegal immigrants."
@SandileKaMsibi said:
"To be fair, we’re not a reading country. It’s quite common for societies that are very forgiving toward people who aren’t very proactive to end up with weak reading cultures. And in those same places, people often lack general knowledge."
@kim_khadaso said:
"We will stand by her against the looters and criminals who are pretending to be revolutionaries, any day."
@ZizinjaAbelungu said:
"She just pulled a Shadrack Sibiya on us on live television."
@TheWitchetal said:
"But that was rubbish to confuse her when he can see she doesn't understand. He clearly had an agenda to embarras her and must be suspended ASAP. Why would he repeat jargons to her. He wanted to sound pompous and rendered the whole discussion devoid sense.
3 More stories about Operation Dudula
- Briefly News also reported that civic organisation Operation Dudula has spoken out after members were mobilised in its latest activism.
- Operation Dudula is not happy with the admission by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
- Operation Dudula has shifted its target to public schools in a continuation of its anti-illegal migrant campaign.
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Source: Briefly News
