Operation Dudula leader silent on claims of Zimbabwean origins

Operation Dudula leader Zandile Dabula has declined to respond to growing speculation on social media that she is of Zimbabwean origin, a revelation that would cast a shadow of irony over the movement's anti-immigrant stance.

The 37-year-old activist, who has become the face of South Africa's controversial campaign against undocumented foreign nationals, dismissed the allegations as mere "rumours" when contacted for comment yesterday.

"Thank you for reaching out. I will not respond to rumours," Dabula told this publication via WhatsApp, before going silent.

Operation Dudula has been at the centre of heated debates in South Africa, with critics accusing it of fuelling xenophobic attacks against Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Tanzanians. The movement insists it is only targeting undocumented migrants and what it calls "foreign dominance" in the country's informal economy.

Dabula's refusal to clarify her origins has left questions lingering not only about her personal background, but also about the credibility of a movement whose rhetoric is based on policing nationality.

For many observers, the allegations—whether true or not—highlight the contradictions at the heart of Operation Dudula's politics.