Scapegoats or solutions: what this week revealed
This week exposed who we blame — and who quietly builds instead
There are those who destroy — loudly, violently, publicly.
And then, there are those who build — quietly, consistently, powerfully.
This week, Operation Dudula made headlines once again after members of the group physically blocked foreign nationals from accessing healthcare at clinics in Johannesburg. Known for its anti-migrant rhetoric,
Operation Dudula has staged similar protests in various parts of the country, often targeting vulnerable communities under the banner of “putting South Africans first.”
Earlier this year, a coalition of civic organisations took Operation Dudula, along with the government, to court. They argued that the group’s actions and inflammatory language were fuelling xenophobia and putting lives at risk.
For Operation Dudula, sick migrants are the problem. Their message is simple and harsh: No ID, no treatment.
But is turning the sick away ever the solution?
Produced by Hasina Gori
While some people are gatekeeping survival, others are quietly building something better.
At Wits University, a group of students has created a food programme to support their peers facing hunger. Through this initiative, students are feeding fellow students with dignity and compassion, proving that care can be as powerful as protest.
Produced by Zakiyya Hatia
In Soweto, an 88-year-old grandmother finally received the kind of home she had always dreamed of — a solid, secure space where she and her family can live in dignity. A local organisation stepped in to build the home after decades of waiting.
Produced by Zakiyya Hatia
In the early hours of the morning, a lone runner takes to the township streets, using movement as a form of healing and expression. In a space where running is often seen as a suburban pastime, he is reclaiming public space and redefining who belongs there.
Produced by Qaanitah Hunter
In a country worn down by inequality, fear, and systemic failure, it can be easy to focus only on what is broken.
But this week reminded us that for every force that tears down, there are people who quietly, deliberately show up to build — homes, meals, dignity, hope.
You just have to know where to look.
Let’s amplify the builders — the ones creating something better, even when no one is watching.
Because what we choose to notice, and what we choose to share, shapes what gets built next.