Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa are set to benefit from a dedicated medical fund aimed at easing their reliance on the host country’s overstretched public hospitals, according to Nicholas Mabhena, Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Community in South Africa.
The announcement comes in the wake of growing tensions between undocumented migrants and members of Operation Dudula, a campaign launched in 2021 that has targeted foreign nationals in the name of protecting South African jobs and services.
While the group claims to defend South African citizens, critics argue its actions have fueled harassment, evictions and the denial of urgent healthcare services for migrants, especially Zimbabweans.
“Operation Dudula comrades are saying I should take all Zimbabweans back home. We understand their frustrations. We will soon announce a medical fund for migrants so that we reduce pressure in public hospitals,” Mabhena said.
The fund is under design to provide Zimbabwean migrants with an alternative route to access healthcare without overburdening South Africa’s public health system.
“We are attending to legal issues, which we hope to complete in a matter of days. By December 2025, migrants in Gauteng will be assisted in Community Health facilities, which we will soon announce before we cover all provinces,” he said.
Mabhena stressed the fund is not a solution for repatriation.
“As I said, we understand where Operation Dudula is coming from. Unfortunately, the solution is not to go back to Zimbabwe but to make sure that migrants have an alternative outside public hospitals,” he said.
The initiative aligns with a recent statement by Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who told Parliament that the Zimbabwean government will not fund healthcare for citizens living in South Africa.
Minister Ziyambi insisted Zimbabwean migrants must regularise their status in South Africa and contribute to that country’s healthcare system.
According to Mabhena, the fund will operate through a structured, legally recognised framework.
“We are setting up an immigrant health access fund and are currently resolving some legal issues because we want this to be officially legal. We are putting together a proper management structure of the fund, which is going to be overseen by a board of directors or trustees so that every cent raised is accounted for and benefits those who need it,” he explained in an interview with CITE.
The fund will be financed through a two-tier system.
“Firstly, there will be a joining fee and a monthly subscription. Then the second phase of the fund will come from the donor community. The joining fee is precisely because we represent migrants who are gainfully employed in South Africa but most are unable to pay upfront for hospitalisation and other services,” Mabhena said.
Mabhena gave an example of the urgent need for such a fund, saying the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa organisation was approached by a domestic worker who went for an operation in Johannesburg, and when she went for a check-up, was told she owed R40 000, which she could not pay.
“If this person were a member, the fund would cover the operation. That is what we are set to do,” Mabhena said.
The fund will prioritise vulnerable groups including pregnant women, children needing immunisation, and individuals with chronic illnesses.
Mabhena noted that the exact joining fee and monthly subscription are still under discussion but anticipates the monthly fee will range between R180 and R210, a figure designed to be affordable for working migrants.
“Complaints from the migrant community indicate that when they go to hospitals, they are often asked to pay R5 000 or R15 000 upfront depending on their condition. The fund will cover that,” he added.
Mabhena outlined the operational plan for the fund, saying focus is to resolve legal issues and put together a proper management structure that will work day-to-day.
“We want to do this professionally. Secondly, there must be a board that will oversee the whole fund. Once the legalities are completed, we will go public with the board members, management, office locations, and contact information,” he said.
He added the fund also seeks to address concerns raised by South Africans.
“We understand where Operation Dudula and others are coming from. South Africa is going for an election next year, and people on the ground are saying the health system is overwhelmed. We are engaging the South African government to get support, not that they should fund it, but to make sure migrant workers, whose money is deducted for health insurance, can access care even if they cannot go to public hospitals,” Mabhena said.
Although the identities of partner organisations are still confidential pending negotiations, Mabhena promised transparency once agreements are finalised.
“We will make public how members are recruited, where medical attention will be accessed and how patients will be identified. Membership cards with barcodes will be used so that at partner facilities, the fund can pay directly on behalf of the patient,” he said.
Mabhena’s initiative aims to mitigate tensions between South African residents and Zimbabwean migrants while offering a practical solution to healthcare access challenges.
“This fund is about providing dignity and healthcare for our people, to see both the migrant community and South Africans coexisting without talk of them overwhelming public systems,” he said.
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