Operation Dudula rejects forum aimed at rooting out systematic corruption at SA borders

Operation Dudula has rejected the newly launched Border and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum, which is said to target systematic corruption and illegal behaviour in the border management sector.

The rights group, which is presently facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly harassing foreign nationals, believes the forum will produce no constructive results and is a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Operation Dudula’s Zandile Dabula says no positive results will come out of the forum.

“Honestly as Operation Dudula we are against the launching of the forum because how many times are we going to launch these forums? There aren’t any positive results which are coming out of the previous Border Management Authority (BMA) Forum. It is just a waste of money. We are going to employ more people and that is just more of our tax money, and nothing is really happening,” says Dabula.

According to the social rights activist, corrupt authorities must be held accountable.

“The laws are there but there is no one enforcing those laws. So, if we can start by holding the corrupt officials accountable for their actions things will go back to how they should be. Stop taking bribes, stop selling people’s identity. This corruption is rooted especially in the Department of Home Affairs, and among the police. We don’t need any forum; law enforcers must just ensure that they enforce the laws that are there,” says Dabula.

The anti-illegal immigrants’ civic movement blames the border management sector for the large influx of unauthorised foreign people into the country.

Dabula accuses the officials of being careless with managing the border.

“These officials are the ones who sell people’s identities; they are the ones who are abusing power at the border when they’re supposed to be protecting it and giving illegal foreign nationals access to this country with a mere R200,” says Dabula.

She claims that corruption at the border is the primary reason why South Africa is dealing with mass adoption of migrants, alleging that the officials in charge have no regard for residents and are only concerned with receiving wages and bribes from criminals.

“This has a huge negative impact because we are going to be losing on investors. No one would want to come to invest in a country that is such a mess and people are losing their jobs. Everything is just deteriorating, our buildings are collapsing, everything is a mess. The country is just going down the drain,” says Dabula.

She slams the government for avoiding collaborating with her organisation, arguing that it would be extremely beneficial in preserving the country.

“We are there as Operation Dudula. We have been helping for the past five years. Why doesn’t the goverment work with such people? There are many people who are patriotic who are saying we are there, and we want to help save the little that’s left in our country,” remarks Dabula,

She claims corruption is pervasive in every setting within government, and that it can see that its people are suffering as a result but chooses to turn a blind eye.

“We now have reason to believe that not even the government wants to deal with these issues because they can’t be sitting and watching when things are going bad. We don’t need forums; we just need a will. There is just no will deal with this issue and that is why we are here today. Corruption is the order of the day not just in the border management sector but in all other sectors of government,” says Dabula.

Operation Dudula demands that all corrupt officials, who are responsible for the influx of unauthorised immigrants in South Africa, be held accountable.

“When they were hired there were codes of conducts that they signed for and because they are doing the opposite of what they signed for, they must be charged and therefore sent to jail and also be given harsh sentences,” says Dabula.

The outspoken Operation Dudula member accuses government of Selling South Africa on a silver platter.

Operation Dudula is currently facing a class action lawsuit filed against it, where it is accused of harassing, intimidating, and assaulting foreign nationals in the country.

The court ruling could create precedents for how authorities deal with disgruntled rights groups who criticise illegal migration in the country, notably in terms of hate speech, incitement to violence, and vigilantism.

Scores of civic movements supporting the same cause as Operation Dudula have thrown their weight behind the anti-illegal immigration movement, with some taking strides in antagonising some immigrants in South Africa by denying them access to public health services.

Some ordinary South Africans have also spoken out against illegal immigrants in the country, claiming that they should not benefit from public resources because the government knows nothing about their presence in it. Written by Odirile Rabolao