A day before Mandela Day on 18 July - one of the many days in our country that symbolises the struggle for democracy, freedom and justice - we were forced to reckon with a painful reality: there is an attempt to threaten the vision of a just and equitable country for all who live in it and which many anti-apartheid activists fought and died for.
On 17 July, Operation Dudula and its supporters marched to the Socio-Economic Rights Institute South Africa (Seri) offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, calling the nonprofit human rights organisation "unpatriotic" for protecting the constitutional rights of foreign nationals. Movements like Equal Education, Abahlali baseMjondolo, and others, stood in solidarity with Seri outside of its offices as they anticipated receiving the marchers' memorandum.
According to Seri's statement on 18 July, the protest emanated from the Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia and Others v Operation Dudula and Others matter which was heard by the High Court in Johannesburg on 10 and 11 June 2025. This case, brought on behalf of Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia, the South African Informal Traders Forum, the Inner City Federation and Abahlali BaseMjondolo, challenged the xenophobic and racist speech and conduct...
