Operation Dudula: Heavy Police Presence in Alexandra Following Clash Between Residents and Foreign Nationals

• Since the clash between Operation Dudula and foreign nationals in Alexandra on Monday, the police have come out in numbers to prevent further violence
• The Alex division of Operation Dudula shut down several businesses at Pan Africa Mall because they belonged to foreign nationals
• Some South Africans do not believe that the methods used by Operation Dudula are correct and are calling for an end to the movement

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Department (JMPD) headed to the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 8 March following a stand-off between residents and foreign nationals.

A group of residents had marched down to Pan Africa Mall under the Operation Dudula banner to halt the operation of businesses owned by foreign nationals as well as those hiring foreigners.

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According to TimesLIVE, the residents alleged that they were closing down shops and businesses owned by or employing foreign nationals who did not have valid papers to be in South Africa.

The heavy police presence in Alex seems to have deterred protestors and Xolani Fihla, the JMPD spokesperson, says there was no crowd gathered.

10 People injured during clash between Alex residents and foreign nationals

Simon Rati, the leader of the Alex division of Operation Dudula, alleges that 10 people were harmed during the stand-off between Alex residents and foreign nationals on Monday.

Fights broke out between members of the movement and foreign nationals as some shop owners attempted to stop protestors from closing down their stores, according to SowetanLIVE.

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Rati says the violence that broke out on Monday will stop members of Operation Dudula continuing with their mission and they plan to shut down the entire township, not just Pan Africa Mall.

South Africans weigh in on Operation Dudula

@MxolisiEmxoem said:

"Guys, instead of approaching foreigners ourselves. We should approach our police, military and government agencies to do something. Because even when we do this Dudula thing, it's only poor foreigners who get affected. There is no dudula what-what eSandton or any suburb."

@Hlarediahloga said:

"We all knew that it will escalate to Black on Black violence... When EFF tried the diplomatic and peaceful approach to the root cause of this, They were insulted. Now lawlessness is taking over, the killings will spread all over SA. Just like in 2008.

@PriscillaNgwe12 said:

"Protect the foreigners from these criminals. They obviously had to pick up the stones as part of self-defence. Operation Dudula must be held accountable for the chaos that this country is descending into. Next, they will be looting because it's 'foreigners' shops."

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Heated stand-off between South Africans and foreign nationals in Alexandra

Briefly News previously reported that Alexandra residents and foreign nationals had a heated face off on Monday, 7 March, 2022. Residents headed to Pan Africa Mall and demanded that foreign nationals working there should vacate the premises under Operation Dudula.

Operation Dudula is a movement that consists of a group of residents from Soweto and Alexandra who are under the impression that foreign nationals are the reason there is a high crime rate in their neighbourhoods, according to News24.

EWN reports that Operation Dudula is also opposed to the hiring of foreign nationals while the unemployment rate is so high in South Africa. In Alexandra, residents moved from shop to shop removing foreign nationals.

Source: Briefly News