Catholic Health Care Association condemns xenophobic clinic blockades amid rising healthcare exclusions in South Africa

South Africa, Sheila Pires – The Catholic Health Care Association (CATHCA) has condemned the recent surge in xenophobic incidents targeting foreign nationals at public health facilities in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

This comes in the wake of disturbing reports that anti-migrant vigilante groups are blocking undocumented migrants, including “pregnant women and new mothers, from accessing essential health care.”

In a statement shared with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) communication office, and endorsed by CATHCA Liaison Bishop – Archbishop Frank Atese Nubuasah SVD of Gaborone Diocese, Botswana, the association decried these actions as an attack on human dignity and a violation of both constitutional rights and international human rights standards.

“Turning clinics into places of fear and uncertainty erodes the trust between patients and providers,” the statement reads, warning that the denial of care, especially maternal and child care, places lives at risk and undermines the moral foundation of the nation’s health system.

The statement comes at a time of growing concern over the treatment of migrants and refugees within South Africa’s public services. In Gauteng, reports have surfaced of community groups forming barriers outside clinics to screen and intimidate patients based on nationality and documentation. Similar patterns are now being observed in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, prompting alarm among human rights organisations and faith-based groups.

This local outcry echoes the broader call of the SACBC, which has consistently advocated for the protection of all vulnerable people in Southern Africa, including migrants and refugees.

CATHCA’s statement reaffirms this commitment, urging the government to take immediate steps to guarantee “safe, non-discriminatory access to health care for all.” It also calls on law enforcement agencies to ensure that healthcare workers can carry out their duties without harassment or intimidation, and that perpetrators of unlawful gatekeeping are held accountable.

The Catholic Church’s dedicated body for health care in South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini appeals to all South Africans, particularly communities of faith to reject xenophobia and re-commit to the Gospel imperative to welcome the stranger. “No woman should be denied maternal care. No child should be born into a society that turns its back on compassion,” the statement concludes.