Cape Town – Three women linked to Operation Dudula were released on warning on Monday after being arrested for allegedly disrupting services at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto.
They appeared briefly in court facing charges including public violence, trespassing, and violating the National Health Act.
Operation Dudula’s president, Zandile Dabula, condemned the arrests as government repression and vowed to continue their ID checks, claiming they are enforcing laws the government fails to uphold.
“This process was just to frustrate us. There’s no way that you will keep people in jail for five days and give them free bail and take them out on a warning.
[WATCH] Operation Dudula leader Zandile Dubula claims the health ministry issued an instruction that their members must be arrested when they do their operations. She says their members who were arrested were released on a warning. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/V6cZRoaYu2
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 11, 2025
“We have been treated like this is a Schedule 6 offence,” she said.
Dabula also accused the Health Ministry of instructing law enforcement to arrest their members during these operations.
“The government of the ANC and the GNU together, they’re taking us back to the apartheid days.
“They’re using the system. It’s just coming in a different colour now. They’re using the police to work against us.”
Operation Dudula members are protesting. This as three women, aged between 49 and 60, appeared at the Orlando Magistrate’s Court for blocking access to healthcare facilities. #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/ZW8ELc9H01
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 11, 2025
The government condemned denying healthcare services to foreign nationals, emphasising that access to healthcare is a constitutional right regardless of nationality.
It urged citizens to address concerns lawfully and stated efforts are underway to improve healthcare capacity and manage migration issues properly.
The women’s case is set to return to court on 10 September
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: X/@joy_zelda
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
