The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has come out guns blazing against South Africans moving to deny undocumented migrants, or illegal foreigners, from obtaining free healthcare in the country.
This follows a series of clips posted on social media where political party members and non-profit organisations have blocked access to clinics and public hospitals.
According to the groups, they believe these services are strictly for South Africans.
ILLEGAL FOREIGNERS BLOCKED FROM ACCESS TO CLINICS
On social media, clips have emerged of groups of South Africans blocking illegal foreigners from accessing clinics and public hospitals around the country.
In Gauteng, Operation Dudula barred undocumented migrants from entering a Diepsloot clinic.
Patriotic Alliancemembers also took up posts outside the Hillbrow clinic, turning away a large crowd of non-South Africans.
PA member Victoria Africa posted on TikTok: “We dealt decisively with arrogant illegal foreigners. We are not playing here.”
@victoria_africa1 Foreigners were not allowed to to enter Hillbrow Clinic. We dealt decisively with arrogant foreigners. We are not playing here. #WeWantOurCountryBack ♬ original sound – Victoria Africa
In Durban, members of March to March barred foreigners from seeking healthcare at Addington Hospital.
Addressing the crowd, many of whom were women and young children, a member of the organisation said: “No foreigner inside, not even one. As of today, you don’t go to any clinic in South Africa. Take your money, go to the doctor, or go to a private hospital.”
SAHRC RESPONDS: ‘NO ONE MAY BE REFUSED’
On Wednesday, 3 July, the SAHRC responded to the protest action against illegal foreigners around the country.
In a statement, it claimed that all people in South Africa, irrespective of nationality or legal status, had a “universal right” to free healthcare.
This included, in particular, refugees and asylum seekers, documented and undocumented migrants, and stateless persons.
Citing Section 27(3) of the Constitution, the statement said: “No one may be refused emergency medical treatment. This provision ensures that emergency healthcare must be provided unconditionally by both public and private health facilities.
The SAHRC stated that it was “deeply concerned” about healthcare facilities that deny treatment to individuals on the basis of nationality or documentation status, which they believed was “unethical and unlawful but also inconsistent with South Africa’s obligations under both domestic and international human rights law”
The human rights organisation urged South Africans not to take the law into their own hands against illegal foreigners, as they had “no legal authority to control access to public health facilities or to enforce immigration laws”
Instead, the SAHRC urged both the Department of Home Affairs and SAPS to intervene and enforce the law.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ILLEGAL FOREIGNERS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO FREE HEALTHCARE IN SOUTH AFRICA?
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