ZANDILE DABULA HAS RESIGNED AS OPERATION DUDULA PRESIDENT

Former President of Operation Dudula Zandile Dabula photo by Dimakatso Modipa

By Zandile Dabula
Former President of Operation Dudula

There was a time in South Africa when speaking openly about illegal immigration was avoided a difficult and uncomfortable issue that many in leadership chose not to confront.

In 2020, I became part of a generation of individuals who chose to raise this issue despite resistance and criticism.

On 17 May 2021, we submitted our first memorandum to the City of Johannesburg, marking the beginning of organised community engagement led by ordinary citizens and military veterans.

On 16 June 2021, Operation Dudula was officially launched.

As one of the founding members and the first Secretary General, I played a central role in building the organisation’s structures and mobilising communities across the country.

What followed was a period of intense grassroots activism.

Together with others, I travelled across all nine provinces, engaging communities and leading operations on the ground.

What began as a marginal and uncomfortable conversation grew into a national and increasingly international issue.

In January 2022, I led efforts to formally register Operation Dudula as a legal entity. On 23 May 2023, a consultative conference mandated a transition into formal politics, culminating in the registration of Operation Dudula as a political party in September 2023.

This transition was driven by a clear
understanding that influence over law-making processes was necessary,particularly in an environment where activists were frequently arrested while raising legitimate community concerns.

My journey within Operation Dudula has been one of commitment, sacrifice, and purpose.

I have worked on the frontlines under difficult and often volatile conditions.

I have been confronted on the ground, engaged directly with law enforcement, and taken the concerns of our communities to
formal platforms, including NATJOINTS.

I was also appointed to serve on the National Dialogue Steering Committee, leading the immigration sector.

I have witnessed both the strength and the pain of our people including the loss of one of our members in Sekhukhune, whose child I have taken in as my own.

Many of our members continue to attend court cases, having sacrificed their time, resources, and livelihoods in pursuit of a cause they believe in.

Operation Dudula is not just an organisation I helped build it shaped me.

It gave me purpose and a deeper understanding of the lived realities of South Africans.

I have been Operation Dudula, and Operation Dudula has been me.

Together, we succeeded in placing the issue of illegal immigration and its socio-economic impact firmly on the national and international agenda.

Through our collective efforts, communities were mobilised, awareness was raised, and in many instances, people regained access to opportunities, homes, and dignity.

There has never been an easy moment in this journey.

Every phase has come with its own challenges and this moment is no different.

Resigning from Operation Dudula feels like losing a part of myself.

This movement has been a defining part of my life.

However, I recognise that growth often requires difficult and emotional decisions.

With effect from 13 May 2026, I have taken the decision to resign as a member and leader of Operation Dudula.

I have formally communicated this decision to the National Executive Committee,
and as a party leader, I have notified the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in accordance with the Electoral Act.

This decision must not be misunderstood.

I am not abandoning the struggle.

I am not retreating from the issues that have defined my journey.

I am not dropping the ball.

What this decision represents is an evolution in how I choose to contribute.

Operation Dudula emerged at a time when raising awareness was critical.

That phase has largely been achieved.

The challenge we now face lies in enforcement, governance, and policy implementation.

I have come to understand that while activism in the streets is important, lasting change is shaped within institutions in boardrooms, policy platforms, and decision-making spaces.

If we truly believe in what we stand for, then we must be prepared to take those convictions into these spaces.

As part of my personal growth and development, I am enrolling with an institution of higher learning to better prepare myself for the responsibilities ahead.

I will continue to support community-based operations and work alongside like-minded civic movements.

At the same time, I will be seeking exposure formal governance processes.

I do this with full awareness that these spaces can be complex and, at times, contested.

However, I remain a firm believer that meaningful change is still possible.

The bug of loving South Africa has indeed bitten the entire country.

Every day comes with more individuals and organizations joining the movement, even government is now taking long neglected actions, and judging by the recent outcome of the constitutional court, it appears that even the one institution which has made it most difficult to protect our country from objective problems brought on by illegal immigration, is beginning to recognize the need to rescue our beloved land from decades of ruthless exploitation at the merciless hands opportunitistic and
malevolent foreigners.

In due course, I will outline my future plans and engage some of the brightest minds I have encountered to assist in shaping this next phase of my journey.

My commitment to South Africa remains unchanged.

I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported me throughout this six-year journey my family, my mother, my advisory team, and the many patriots who continue to stand firm in this struggle.

I also acknowledge the many civic movements and leaders who have emerged through this
work and continue to drive change in their respective communities.

To the people of South Africa I remain one of you.

A proud young woman who helped ignite a
national conversation that is now recognised beyond our borders.

Operation Dudula will communicate its new leadership in due course, at this time I am unable to provide further detail.

Patriots, do not slow down, the efforts which you are making right now should be multiplied, so that the enemy does not get the slightest impression that my resignation has any effect on the general
patriotic movement.

Once again, thank you for your support.

Patriots, I salute you.

Commanders, morning.