Medical Fund To Support Zimbabweans Barred From SA Public Clinics

The Zimbabwean community in South Africa has announced plans to set up a dedicated medical fund to support Zimbabwean migrants.

The move comes after members of the South African vigilante group, Operation Dudula, have been blocking migrants from accessing public hospitals and clinics.

Nicholas Mabhena, Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Community in South Africa, said the fund will offer migrants an alternative way to access healthcare while easing pressure on South Africa’s public health system. He said:

“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.

“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.”

Mabhena said that in light of Operation Dudula’s actions, the solution is not for migrants to return to Zimbabwe, but to ensure they have alternative healthcare options outside public hospitals. He said:

“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.”

Mabhena explained that the fund will operate on a two-tier system, with one tier supported by contributions from the Zimbabwean community itself, while the second tier will seek partnerships and donations from businesses, NGOs, and other stakeholders. He said:

“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.”

The fund will focus on the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children needing immunisation, and those with chronic illnesses.

Mabhena said the final joining fee and monthly subscription are still being finalised, but the monthly cost is expected to fall between R180 and R210—kept deliberately affordable for working migrants. He said:

“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.”

Mabhena said the fund is about giving our people dignity and access to healthcare, ensuring migrants and South Africans can coexist without fears of straining public services.

More: CITE