By: Zahid Jadwat

The vigilante Operation Dudula movement, which has defended its raids on foreigners’ stores as an attempt to uphold South Africa’s immigration laws, will launch yet another branch – this time in Cape Town – on Saturday (May 14).

The group started in Gauteng before moving to KwaZulu-Natal as it grew in popularity amidst growing xenophobic sentiment among some South Africans who accuse foreign nationals of ‘stealing’ local jobs. The Dudula movement is led by 36-year-old Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini.

The launch in Cape Town was motivated by a lack of employment for South Africans and increased drug abuse in townships, according to Jonathan Baju, the Western Cape coordinator for Operation Dudula.

“There are a lot of illegal immigrants here in Cape Town, in Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi. You will realise that almost all South Africans are not working. Some of them look as if they are mad because of the drugs,” said Baju.

Meanwhile, Ricardo Mackenzie, the Democratic Alliance’s provincial acting spokesperson on Community Safety, urged Western Cape residents to stand up to “hatred, intolerance, and vigilantism” ahead of the launch.

It is expected to take place at the CPUT District Six Campus in Zonnebloem AT 10:00 Saturday morning.