Police fire rubber bullets to disperse anti-migrant protest at Kalafong Hospital

Police have fired rubber bullets to disperse groups in a conflict over calls to deny undocumented foreign nationals access to basic healthcare at the Kalafong Hospital.

One person has been arrested but the police on the ground have refused to provide further details.

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has again thrown its weight behind Operation Dudula’s calls to deny undocumented economic migrants access to basic healthcare.

The party was among those picketing outside the Atteridgeville hospital on Thursday morning.

Tensions outside the hospital appeared to be growing by the day.

Operation Dudula and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were also present, with the red berets defending the human rights of economic migrants.

Dudula returned to apply pressure on the hospital to close its doors to foreign nationals, supported by the PA, whose stance is unsurprising after leader Gayton McKenzie publicly launched an attack on migrants earlier in the week.

“We are saying illegal foreigners should not even be in the country because them being here is a crime. They must thank their lucky stars I was not the leader of the country because I would walk into that hospital, I would unplug that gas that they are enjoying from South Africa and I would bring somebody from South Africa and I would connect them to the gas. If they must die they must die,” said McKenzie.

He was speaking during the tombstone unveiling for Nathaniel Julies on Monday.

The long-standing debate has triggered some concerns that xenophobic attacks could escalate.

But the PA’s chairperson in Tshwane, Mario Khumalo, said it was not an act of discrimination but rather keeping to the letter of the law.

The EFF outnumbered the PA and Dudula, while the police remained on high alert.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla was also on the premises conducting a site visit.

-EWN

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