Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini has again come out in defence of his movement after mounting criticism and accusations that it is xenophobic.
Dlamini responded to critics as Operation Dudula expanded into KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend.
He called on authorities to root out criminality in the form of illegal immigrants rather than accuse his movement and its members of being xenophobic.
“We are not xenophobic. Xenophobia is not a legal issue. It is a morality issue. Illegal immigration is a legal issue, meaning it is a crime. Our police, politicians, media and courts prosecute citizens for ‘possible’ immorality in [the] protection of the actual crime,” he tweeted at the weekend.
FACT: We are not xenophobic!
TRUTH:
Xenophobia is not a legal issue it's a MORALITY issue.ILLEGAL immigration is a "LEGAL" issue, meaning it's a CRIME!
Our police, politicians, media & courts prosecutes 🇿🇦citizens for "possible" IMMORALITY in protection of the "ACTUAL" crime!
— nhlanhlalux (@nhlanhla_lux_) April 10, 2022
Operation Dudula supporters marched from the Durban City Hall to the Point police station to mark the launch of the organisation in the province.
They delivered a memorandum of demands to home affairs officials and at the station.
They urged home affairs officials to do their work by removing illegal immigrants.
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Some shops and other businesses owned by foreign nationals were closed during the march.
TimesLIVE reported that the largely peaceful march threatened to turn ugly when three objects were thrown from Sea Point Towers at the marchers. The building is occupied by tenants and students from the Mangosuthu University of Technology and University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Operation Dudula chairperson Zandile Dabula commended members for not retaliating.
Dlamini also appeared to respond to this, implying it was a “trap” set against members of the movement.
“There are traps set everywhere for us, including arranged criminal elements organised to cause violence to justify our ’planned’ arrests in KwaZulu-Natal. The idea is to use court rooms and bail conditions to keep us away from the streets and our people. We are 10 steps ahead,” he said.
There are traps set everywhere for us including arranged criminal elements organized to cause violence to justify our "planned" arrests in KZN
The idea is to use court rooms & bail conditions to eventually keep us away from the streets & our pple🤞🏾
We are 10 steps ahead😉
🧠🤘🏾
— nhlanhlalux (@nhlanhla_lux_) April 10, 2022
Dlamini accused police of allegedly colluding with criminals who sell drugs in communities.
“We will obviously not find any drugs during today’s KwaZulu-Natal operation simply because we planned this operation with people who are law enforcement and politicians by day and drug dealers by night. Most South Africans are more loyal to political parties than the future of their children,” claimed Dlamini.
