Staff Reporter

The Zimbabwean community in South Africa is establishing a dedicated medical fund to provide an alternative healthcare option for Zimbabwean migrants who have been targeted and blocked from accessing public clinics and hospitals by members of the vigilante group Operation Dudula in South Africa.

Nicholas Mabhena, Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Community in South Africa, announced the plans, stating the fund will ease pressure on South Africa’s public health system while ensuring migrants have access to essential medical services.

The initiative is a direct response to the escalating actions of Operation Dudula, which has been turning away migrants, claiming they are a strain on limited public resources.

“We will soon announce a medical fund for migrants so that we reduce pressure in public hospitals,” Mabhena said.

“The solution is not for migrants to return to Zimbabwe, but to ensure they have alternative healthcare options outside public hospitals.”

According to Mabhena, the fund is currently undergoing legal finalization and will operate on a two-tier system.

The first tier will be supported by contributions from the Zimbabwean community itself, with members paying a joining fee and a monthly subscription.

The second tier will seek partnerships and donations from businesses, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

The fund will prioritize the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children needing immunizations, and individuals with chronic illnesses.

Mabhena emphasized that the goal is to give migrants dignity and access to healthcare, fostering peaceful coexistence between migrants and South Africans.