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Operation Dudula’s School Campaign Sparks Outrage in Gauteng
A movement at the school gates
The start of the next academic year in Gauteng is already clouded by controversy. Operation Dudula, a movement long known for its hard stance on undocumented foreign nationals, has now turned its attention to township schools. Led by Zandile Dabula, the group hand-delivered warning letters to 11 Soweto schools, insisting that South African children should be prioritised over foreign learners.
Their campaign, which began at Lofentse High School for Girls in Orlando East and Noordgesig Primary School, has reignited tensions in the province. The message is blunt: no South African child should be sidelined in favour of foreign nationals. But this stance has been met with strong pushback from government, educators, and civil society.
Political and public fallout
The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng wasted no time in responding. Just two days before the school visits, the party opened a criminal case against the movement, accusing it of inciting violence and unlawfully targeting foreign nationals. The case is linked to a tragic incident in which a one-year-old baby reportedly died after the mother was denied healthcare at a public facility.
Provincial leaders have also spoken out. Gauteng’s Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko condemned the exclusionary rhetoric, reminding the public that healthcare and education are basic rights. “It doesn’t matter whether the child is Malawian or South African; no child deserves to die or be denied education,” she said.
Education department stands firm
The Gauteng Department of Education has been clear in its position. Spokesperson Steve Mabona stressed that all children of school-going age must be in class, whether they are documented or not. He noted that many South Africans also lack proper documentation and that schools work closely with Home Affairs to help parents regularise their children’s status.
Mabona added that while Home Affairs handles deportations, the education department’s duty is to ensure learning continues without disruption. To safeguard schooling, law enforcement agencies will be brought in to prevent intimidation or unlawful actions on school grounds.
Context matters
Operation Dudula’s school campaign is not an isolated event but part of a broader strategy ahead of next year’s local government elections. The movement has built its identity on mobilising frustrations around unemployment and access to services, often framing undocumented foreigners as the cause of systemic failures.
Yet critics argue that such campaigns scapegoat vulnerable groups while distracting from deeper governance issues like underfunded schools and slow service delivery. Public reaction has been divided: some community members back the call to prioritise South Africans, while others see it as a dangerous step that undermines children’s rights.
The bigger picture
Education in South Africa has long been guided by the principle that every child deserves a seat in a classroom, regardless of nationality. With Grade R now compulsory, the state is legally bound to provide access to all children. This means the question is not whether undocumented children should be taught, but how the system can better handle documentation and integration without disruption.
The coming months will reveal whether Operation Dudula intensifies its campaign or whether government intervention can ensure schools remain places of learning rather than battlegrounds for politics.
Also read: Political Killings Task Team Row Explodes at Madlanga Commission 2025
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Facebook/Operation Dudula EAST RAND
