Julius Malema, president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has described xenophobia as a “sickness.”
Speaking at the Nigeria Bar Association’s Annual General Conference in Enugu on Sunday, Malema condemned the persistent xenophobic attacks that have plagued the African continent.
He emphasised that Nigerians, Congolese, and Zimbabweans living in South Africa are not responsible for the country’s challenges, calling the attacks “a betrayal of African unity.”
“Xenophobia is a sickness borne of poverty, inequality, and government failure,” the South African politician said.
“Africans must love themselves, not kill one another. Black people are not loved in Africa, and not loved abroad either, but we must learn to treat ourselves better.”
In July an anti-migrant group, Operation Dudula, had sparked public outrage after its members were caught on video blocking access to a government hospital and denying entry to anyone unable to prove South African citizenship.
In a viral video, Operation Dudula members were seen stationed at the entrance of the Roodepoort Clinic, west of Johannesburg, confronting patients and demanding ID documents before allowing them inside.
In another viral video, Operation Dudula President Zandile Dabula, openly announced the group’s intention to launch a campaign in late December 2025 and early January 2026, targeting public schools across the country to block non-South African children from enrolment.
“We’re going to launch a campaign at the end of December, the first week of January 2026. We’re going to be stationed at schools, and no foreign child will be attending school in a public school,” Dabula said.
She further stated that the group’s actions would not extend to private institutions, saying, “They can rather take them to private [schools], we don’t care, but at public schools it’s going to be reserved for South African children only.”
Dabula’s comments reflect Operation Dudula’s long-standing anti-immigration agenda, which has included violent xenophobic campaigns targeting African migrants, particularly those from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Nigeria.
In September 2019, following a wave of xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg and Pretoria, Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, volunteered to evacuate stranded Nigerians for free. Many Nigerians were airlifted, including children.
Many returnees had lived in fear, with some fleeing abusive relationships or losing businesses to mob violence.
The Nigerian government, through its consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinated the evacuation and provided emergency travel documents for those without proper papers.
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