Mr. Smart Nwobi, President of the Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA), has raised concerns over the unlawful denial of public healthcare services to Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa by the anti-migrant group Operation Dudula.

In an interview with CHUKWUDI AKASIKE, of PUNCH, Nwobi described the situation as “appalling” and called for urgent diplomatic intervention from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to protect Nigerians amid escalating xenophobic incidents.

Nwobi explained that NUSA, established in 2008 and now 17 years old, serves as the apex organization safeguarding the interests of Nigerians in South Africa. He detailed the dire situation in which Operation Dudula, a vigilante-style group, has taken the law into its own hands by barring foreigners from government-owned hospitals. “The current situation is very appalling… the people carrying out this act are not government officials or officials of the healthcare system,” Nwobi said.

He emphasized that access to public healthcare is constitutionally guaranteed under Section 27 of South Africa’s 1996 post-apartheid Constitution, which entitles “everyone, without any exception” to the public health system. This right is further reinforced by healthcare laws, making Dudula’s actions “xenophobic and unlawful.”

Nwobi noted that South Africa’s Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, has publicly condemned the group’s actions, stating in a national interview that preventing foreigners from accessing healthcare violates the law. The minister advised Dudula to pursue any desired changes through elections and parliamentary processes. “Motsoaledi was of the view that they were violating the law regarding access to the healthcare system in the country,” Nwobi said. He added that doctors, bound by their professional oath, cannot ignore patients, yet Dudula operatives station themselves at facilities, demanding identification and expelling those without South African green cards.

The ban has severely affected Nigerians, with Nwobi receiving “numerous calls daily” as a human rights lawyer. He highlighted that even South Africans without citizenship documents are denied care, indirectly harming locals. “Nigerians have resorted to self-medication, which is detrimental to their health. Some of them are losing their lives every day,” he warned. Nwobi attributed the surge in such acts to election-period tensions, where foreigners often become scapegoats for frustrations with the ruling party.

In response to Dudula’s accusations that foreigners overstretch healthcare facilities, Nwobi dismissed them as unsubstantiated claims lacking statistical backing. “These are just claims that are not backed by facts. It is simply afro-phobia and xenophobia,” he said.

NUSA has condemned the actions and is collaborating with progressive associations, the Office of Human Rights for Refugee Affairs, and the African Diaspora Forum to seek legal intervention. “We have resolved to seek legal intervention for those affected, including Nigerians,” Nwobi said. The union recently briefed the African Diaspora Forum to mount a joint legal challenge.

However, Nwobi expressed disappointment over the lack of intervention from Nigeria’s consulate and embassy. “No, they have not been able to intervene… We tried to reach out to them, but they have not said anything,” he said. He urged President Tinubu to intervene, especially ahead of the G-20 summit in South Africa in September 2025, and called on Nigeria’s Senate to engage diplomatically with South African counterparts.

To assist affected members, NUSA has organized medical outreach programs in one province, paying African doctors to provide free tests and treatment, funded solely by member contributions.

Reflecting on a video in which a Dudula leader urged foreigners to return home and push their governments to fix economies to reduce migration, Nwobi said: “There is a great lesson to be learned from the statement… if various governments in Africa can fix their countries, there will be less influx of migrants to other well-to-do or rich countries.”

Having lived in South Africa since 2008, Nwobi, a human rights lawyer and owner of Nwobi (Smart) Attorneys Inc., praised the country’s systems, including stable power supply and subsidized education. He noted that public healthcare facilities often surpass private ones, with 20% of doctors being foreigners, 40% of whom are Nigerians. “South Africa has a very good system, and the majority of South Africans are good people,” he said, contrasting it with Nigeria and urging African leaders to learn from it.

Nwobi estimated that 800,000 Nigerians currently reside in South Africa, up from 500,000 in 2023, emphasizing the need for stronger home economies to curb migration.

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