South Africa’s Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka has refuted media reports claiming her office was approached by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) regarding the alleged denial of healthcare services to Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa.
This comes amid increasing concerns over the treatment of immigrants in South Africa, with reports of vigilante groups such as Operation Dudula allegedly targeting non-citizens, including Zimbabweans, and preventing them from accessing public healthcare facilities.
However, in a statement released on Monday, the Public Protector’s office said no formal complaint or discussion had taken place between her institution and the ZHRC on the matter.
“Following numerous media inquiries, the Public Protector South Africa (PPSA) wishes to clarify that it has no record of a complaint lodged by the Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission concerning the denial of Zimbabwean nationals’ access to healthcare services in South Africa,” the statement read.
The office acknowledged hosting a ZHRC delegation in 2024, but clarified that the engagement focused on institutional capacity-building, corruption, and service delivery challenges common to both countries not immigration-related healthcare access.
“At no point did the discussions then, or recently, focus on the denial of Zimbabwean nationals’ access to health-care services in South Africa,” the Public Protector added.
The clarification comes amid growing social tensions in parts of South Africa, where undocumented foreigners often face hostility from local groups who accuse them of burdening public services and taking local jobs.
