A South African court has ordered the anti-migrant group Operation Dudula to stop blocking foreign nationals from accessing public health facilities and schools, deeming such actions illegal.
The group had been picketing hospitals, clinics, and schools in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, checking identity cards and stopping non-South Africans from entering.
Judge Leicester Adams also barred Operation Dudula from making statements that can be construed as hate speech, unlawfully evicting foreign nationals from their homes or trading stalls, and instigating others to do so.
The group has expressed disappointment with the ruling and intends to appeal.
South Africa is home to approximately 2.4 million migrants, and xenophobia has long been an issue in the country, occasionally erupting into deadly violence.
