Civil Groups Challenge Operation Dudula and Government in Court Over Xenophobic Violence
A coalition of prominent civil society groups has taken Operation Dudula and key state departments to the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, seeking urgent legal intervention to halt what they describe as xenophobic vigilantism targeting migrants and refugees across South Africa.
The legal action, heard on June 10 and 11, is spearheaded by Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX) in partnership with the South African Informal Traders Forum, Inner City Federation, and Abahlali baseMjondolo. Together, the applicants are demanding that the court interdict Operation Dudula’s activities and hold the government accountable for failing to protect vulnerable migrant communities.
Allegations: Hate Speech, Illegal Raids, Police Collusion
The case accuses Operation Dudula — a controversial anti-migrant group — of inciting hate speech, conducting unlawful business shutdowns, demanding identity documents, and forcibly evicting foreign nationals, all without any legal mandate.
Equally alarming, the applicants claim that the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Home Affairs have not only failed to intervene but have allegedly colluded with Dudula activists in several of these incidents.
“This is not just about street harassment — it’s about organized lawlessness being tolerated, even enabled, by elements within the state,” said one KAAX representative outside the court.
A Call for Accountability and Human Rights Protections
The applicants are asking the court to enforce the government’s own National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, while also ordering an independent investigation into Operation Dudula’s alleged crimes.
The outcome of this case could be pivotal. It stands to set a legal precedent for how South Africa deals with rising anti-immigrant sentiment, which has intensified amid economic hardship and political instability.
Human rights advocates warn that continued inaction risks normalizing xenophobic violence under the guise of community activism, further endangering foreign nationals, informal traders, and asylum seekers.
A Nation at a Crossroads
As South Africa confronts deepening social tensions, the court’s forthcoming ruling is likely to shape the national discourse on migration, law enforcement accountability, and the limits of civic activism.
