Public Protector Denies Receiving Complaint From Zimbabwe Commission Over Healthcare for Immigrants

• The office of the Public Protector has denied that it was in talks with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
• This was after reports surfaced that the Human Rights Commission is engaging with the Public Protector over illegal immigrants and their impact on the healthcare system
• South Africans slammed the Human Rights Commission and congratulated the Public Protector for clarifying the misinformation

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — The Public Protector of South Africa has denied that it received a complaint from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission over the treatment of illegal immigrants in South African public healthcare facilities.

The Public Protector shared a statement on its @PublicProtector X account on 4 August. This was after reports surfaced that the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission was in talks with the Public Protector over Zimbabweans who are refused healthcare by organisations like Operation Dudula and March and March.

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The Public Protector clarified that it met with the ZHRC on 10 and 11 September 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss corruption, best practices within the Human Rights Commission environment, and challenges of service delivery and health care systems in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Public Protector denies receiving ZHRC complaint

The ZHRC then received documents from the Public Protector on 14 October 2024, which would help it investigate malfeasance in its own country. The discussions continued to be on the state of both countries' healthcare systems.

"At no point did the discussions then, nor recently, focus on the denial of Zimbabwean nationals' access to health care services in South Africa," he said.

Read the X statement here:

Who made the allegations?

According to eNCA, the ZHRC's chairperson, Jessie Majome, said that the Commission engaged with the Public Protector to explore solutions to alleviate the crisis of Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals being removed from public healthcare facilities, which Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko condemned. Majome said that there is a need for the Zimbabwean government to resolve and improve the healthcare crisis.

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Recently, Zimbabwean politicians debated over the crisis of Zimbabweans seeking healthcare assistance in South Africa. The country's finance minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said that the government would not pay for its citizens' medical bills in South Africa. By contrast, opposition figure Tendai Biti said that the government is duty-bound to assist its citizens even if they are in another country.

Netizens congratulate Public Proctector

South Afrians commenting on the statement shared their views.

AMGee said:

"Thank you, Public Protector, for reminding them about the area of their authority. Seems like they forgot that they have no jurisdiction in South Africa."

Phumzile said:

"Keep it up. We black South Africans would be receiving better SASSA grants if our tsaces were not looking after the foreigners arriving in SA without provisions for themselves."

Petunia Thupudi said:

"This is all a lie. The PP does not acknowledge any engagement with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission."

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WokeAfrica Terminator said:

"This must be a dream. Someone actually made sense. Keep it up, PPSA."

Operation Dudula accuses SAHRC of bias toward illegal immigrants

Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Operation Dudula accused the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) of failing to represent the interests of South African citizens. The civil organisation stated that the SAHRC has become biased and prioritises the protection of foreign nationals at the expense of local communities in South Africa.

Operation Dudula handed a memorandum over to the Commission on Thursday, 17 July, accusing the SAHRC of being biased and showing favour to illegal immigrants and foreign nationals. The civil organisation said that while it respects the Commission's objective to protect human rights, it fails to protect South African citizens.

Migration expert weighs in on healthcare crisis

In a related article, Briefly News reported that migration expert Professor Loren Landau spoke to Briefly News about Operation Dudula and March and March removing foreign nationals from public healthcare facilities.

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Landau said that the organisations' actions eroded the rule of law and pointed out that it negatively impacts migrants, their families, and the communities they are part of.

Source: Briefly News