18 July 2025

We, the Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE), the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU), the Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA) and the Inyanda National Land Movement (INLM) express steadfast unity with the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) and all civil society groups dedicated to maintaining the constitutional rights of everyone in South Africa, irrespective of nationality or documentation. Over the past period, several organisations and movements that defend human rights and call for freedom of movement across Africa have come under enormous pressure. As Africans, we cannot behave in the ways we observe in Europe and the USA, which calls for the deportation and expulsion of Africans and foreign nationals. As South Africans, we must ask why anyone would want to leave their homes and loved ones for a life of insecurity, poor working conditions and a hostile environment? It is out of desperation.

The recent demonstrations organised by Operation Dudula and related groups against SERI are highly alarming. Such actions, which involve efforts to obstruct healthcare access for undocumented people and threaten human rights advocates, weaken the principles established in our Constitution and international human rights legislation. These rights are endorsed by the in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948 United Nations General Assembly).

Section 27 of the South African Constitution states that “Everyone is entitled to access healthcare services.” This right does not depend on citizenship or immigration status. Refusing healthcare or essential services based on nationality is not only against the constitution, it is also inhumane.

We applaud SERI for their unwavering dedication to justice, dignity, and equality. Their efforts are crucial in safeguarding the most vulnerable individuals and making certain that South Africa continues to be a nation led by the principles of law and empathy.

We must further emphasise that SERI is defending millions of marginalised South Africans in courts who cannot afford the basic right to fair justice. The actions of Dudula is not only an infringement on the human rights of others, but a demonstration of self-hate. They have access to the basic statistics on unemployment, migration and the neo-liberal austerity budgets that are a major cause of the decay our society is facing. It remains unjustifiable to put the blame on migration solely. This crisis is created by an institutionalised system called capitalism. We therefore call on Dudula to redirect their focus to the core problem and address the roots of all inhumanity faced by poor, marginalised people around the world, not just in South Africa. We can never be seen as one another’s enemies, while our suffering is and remains completely the same.  

We urge all South Africans to denounce xenophobia, hate crime and vigilantism that pretends to be patriotism. We call on governmental bodies to safeguard civil society organisations from harassment and to defend the rights of everyone in our territory which includes foreign nationals.

In solidarity,

Trust for Community Outreach and Education Trust (TCOE)

Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU)

Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA)

Inyanda National Land Movement (INLM)