Dudula Members Arrested For Harassing Migrant Vendors
The police plan to further up their attack on “Dudula groupings” that continue to break the law by evicting alleged illegal immigrants working as street sellers in Johannesburg townships.
A planned township closure was thwarted by a large police presence, and some members of the Alexandria Dudula Movement were arrested after a standoff with foreign nationals turned violent on Monday. On Tuesday morning, some members proceeded to burn tyres.
Maj-Gen Max Masha, the Joburg district police commissioner, said the five people arrested were facing public violence charges, and that more arrests may be made if the Operation Dudula campaign persisted.
Masha stated that while the police acknowledge the groups’ concerns, they will no longer allow lawless behavior by supporters of the Dudula campaign who have taken the law into their own hands.
“They must leave that job to us as the police and we will do it with other departments, like home affairs, and there will be no need for these movements going forward,” he said.
Police have been accused of being too tolerant with illegal immigrants, leading communities to intervene.
