Tensions flare between Operation Dudula and Abahlali baseMjondolo, over anti-migrant protests
Operation Dudula at a Cape Town demonstration. A march held by the group in Johannesburg last week has raised tensions with shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo. The movement accused the grouo of being violent.
Image: Leon Lestrade Independent Newspapers
A war of words has erupted between shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and Operation Dudula after the latter held a march to the office of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) in Braamfontein last week.
While SERI and Abahlali accused marchers of violent and intimidatory behaviour during the march, Operation Dudula said the protest was peaceful and misrepresented.
Operation Dudula said the march aimed to voice community frustrations over NGOs prioritising foreign nationals.
SERI said it received notice of the protest on 8 July and agreed to accept a memorandum from Operation Dudula.
On the day of the march, SERI said it was joined by Abahlali baseMjondolo, the Inner City Federation, the South African Informal Traders Forum, and others.
It said the marchers had been violent.
“Their violent and intimidatory behaviour included threats of violence to people in the crowd, the pepper-spraying of an individual and the throwing of stones and bottles, requiring police to intervene,” SERI reported.
Abahlali said its members from various occupations gathered to support SERI. “They swore at us, insulted us and threatened us. They threw bottles and stones at us and pepper-sprayed a comrade from the Inner City Federation,” the movement said. “We remained disciplined and resolute. Operation Dudula departed amidst controversy.”
Abahlali said that following the march, it was targeted in a wave of social media abuse which included numerous death threats.
It said threats included: “You shall be necklaced one by one” and “We will assassinate you one by one”.
“People making such public death threats must be exposed and held accountable,” Abahlali said.
In response to media queries, Operation Dudula said it stands by its conduct during the protest. “We strongly reject any allegations that Operation Dudula used violence, pepper spray, or threw objects during the march,” the group said. “Our members were instructed to act peacefully and within the law. If anyone acted outside of these instructions, they did so in their personal capacity.”
The group said the purpose of the march was to challenge how NGOs operate. “The frustrations of many South Africans are that certain NGOs are defending foreign nationals at the expense of South African citizens, especially the poor and unemployed.”
Operation Dudula also addressed the reported threats. “We do not condone any form of violence, threats or intimidation, online or offline,” it said. “We distance ourselves from such actions and urge victims to report these cases to the police.
“The continued labelling of Operation Dudula as militarised or xenophobic is unfounded and dishonest. Criticising illegal immigration is not xenophobia. It is a call for lawful governance and fairness in the application of the law.”
“We remain committed to engaging peacefully and constructively with all stakeholders in pursuit of a better South Africa.”