South African anti-immigrant group to run in 2024 election
Operation Dudula, an anti-migrant group in South Africa, has registered as a political party to run in the 2024 election. The group has become notorious for raiding businesses owned by foreign nationals, aiming to drive them out of the country.
Transcript
00:00 Why are you here?
00:02 Why are you here in our country?
00:05 This is Operation Dudula.
00:07 They want migrants to leave South African townships and are ready to force them out.
00:13 Their intentions are clear in the name.
00:16 Dudula means "push out" in Isuzulu.
00:19 They believe too much of the township's economy rests in the hands of migrants.
00:27 Up until now, Operation Dudula has focused on closing down shops
00:31 they claim were set up illegally by foreign nationals.
00:35 Now the organisation has decided to re-brand itself as a political party,
00:42 aiming to run in South Africa's 2024 national elections.
00:47 Anti-foreigner rhetoric is at the core of their policies.
00:52 That's why they've been accused of xenophobia and inciting violence against migrants.
00:57 Operation Dudula is not a xenophobic group.
01:04 We are not vigilantes.
01:08 We are a peaceful movement actually.
01:12 We refuse to share the little that we have.
01:21 With foreign nationals. We refuse.
01:23 South Africa's political environment is quite competitive
01:29 and support at community level doesn't automatically translate into votes.
01:34 However, Operation Dudula believes that the issues it is campaigning on,
01:38 which include unemployment and poverty,
01:41 will resonate with residents of Soweto and other townships across South Africa.
01:47 Over 40% of people of working age are currently unemployed in South Africa
01:52 and this has led to tensions over jobs.
01:55 Many migrants accept lower wages and work longer hours than locals.
01:59 If you go to many of the companies, they've hired a lot of migrants.
02:06 Now people who travel from different parts of South Africa looking for work can't get any jobs.
02:13 But Operation Dudula has shown us that we should do things for ourselves.
02:18 In my area, most of the houses are owned by foreigners.
02:22 It's become unaffordable for local people.
02:25 In the build-up to the election, the organization plans to intensify its raids on township shops called Spazas.
02:41 They claim the foreign-owned shops are operating illegally,
02:44 are selling expired goods and want the stores to be taken over by South Africans.
02:49 Many of these shops are run by people from Ethiopian, Pakistani or Somali communities.
02:56 They've made South Africa their home and believe the country's constitution offers them protection.
03:03 It says South Africa belongs to all who live in it.
03:07 There must be a plan of integration, economic integration in the communities.
03:13 That's why we should not look as enemies.
03:17 We have to help each other. We have to think together.
03:22 And if some problem, we have to look for a solution together, not in isolation.
03:27 Dudula won't give a solution for the location, for the community.
03:34 Operation Dudula is setting up branches in all nine provinces.
03:38 While their support is growing in some townships, their policies don't reflect the views of all communities.
03:45 Many South Africans live alongside migrants from across Africa and beyond.
03:51 [BLANK_AUDIO]