SA makes efforts to mend ties with fellow African nations

by TINTSWALO BALOYI 
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – BY condemning the violence by vigilante groups against foreign nationals, President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a major step towards mending relations that have become increasingly strained between South Africa and fellow countries on the continent.

On Sunday evening, the president made one of his most eagerly awaited addresses post-pandemic and arguably the most crucial since the outbreak of xenophobic tensions in Africa’s largest economy.

Denouncing the crime and vigilantism witnessed in recent weeks during anti-migrant marches, Ramaphosa also assured foreign nationals of their safety in the country and announced a raft of measures his under-fire government was putting in place to ensure an end to illegal migration and to protect legal migrants from exploitation by businesses.

The speech, delivered from the Union Buildings, was anchored on a crackdown on undocumented foreign nationals (by state institutions, not vigilante groups), securing borders, strengthening the immigration system and closing gaps in laws and policies.

In addition, the government is to deploy envoys to a number of African countries to outline the measures being announced this evening.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that illegal immigration was not the cause of all South Africa’s economic challenges.

“The answer must be faster economic growth, greater investment, industrial expansion, infrastructure development and the creation of millions of new jobs,” he said.

In contrast to the view of anti-migrant groups, the president noted that every person who works in the country must be legally permitted to do so and all who run businesses here must be legally permitted to operate.

Some anti-migrant groups have been demanding that foreign nationals, including those legally in South Africa, leave the country, with a so-called deadline of June 30 set.

“South Africa is committed to protecting, upholding and advancing the human rights of all people in our country, whether citizens or foreign nationals,” Ramaphosa said.

“The responsibility for enforcing immigration laws rests with the state and the state alone. No other person is allowed, for example, to confront someone in the street and demand proof of nationality.”

Ramaphosa hit out at groups using the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise the country by inciting lawlessness and violence and expressed concern that anti-foreigner sentiment was at times accompanied by tribal and ethnic slurs, insults or attacks aimed at other South Africans.

“We will act against forces that are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal or criminal agendas.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the biggest partner in Ramaphosa’s government of national unity, welcomed the address and the message that South Africa’s economic struggles were not caused by foreign nationals, but by the failure to grow the economy and create jobs.

“This is the right message at a dangerous moment for our country,” Geordin Hill-Lewis, DA leader, responded.

“South Africans must reject xenophobia, uphold our constitutional values and never allow anger over hardship to become violence against vulnerable people.”

However, some leaders of vigilante groups remained defiant and hinted that they would oppose the government’s stance.

Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, one of the leaders, responded, “The President is killing us. June 30, 2026 is the deadline (for migrants to leave.)”

He announced that a “shutdown” was scheduled for Benoni, east of Johannesburg, against the employment of foreign-born drivers in the haulage industry.

On the eve of the address, the tiff between South Africa and some governments that reported their citizens had been targeted was widening.

Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, reserved most of his criticism for Ghana, which has been the most vocal government on the tensions in the Southern African country.

He said the claim that two Nigerians had been killed during the current wave of attacks remained “entirely unsubstantiated by available information.”

Lamola said it was untrue that five Mozambicans had been killed. This is contrary to reports by the Mozambican government.

The minister, however, acknowledged a South African Police Service investigation into the deaths of two Mozambican nationals, and thus it could not yet be ascertained whether the deaths were linked to anti-migrant violence.

He chided his Ghanaian counterpart, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has disclosed that the government has since evacuated 1 000 Ghanaians from South Africa.

Lamola described an interview Ablakwa had granted to some media outlets as “deeply disappointing” and “replete with misinformation.”

This comes after Ablakwa was quoted as saying that 15 Ghanaians were currently hospitalised following attacks.

“In fact, to date, the High Commissioner has not shared any information with us, not even regarding the single individual he previously discussed in media interviews,” Lamola said.

He said South Africa would not continue to tolerate Ghana’s “public spectacles, characterised by incomplete information and outright misinformation devoid of any diplomatic decorum.”

“Let us be factual in our engagements and not pander to unnecessary public spectacles that are devoid of any diplomatic decorum,” Lamola said.

Malawi on Sunday reported that the first two buses carrying 150 Malawian nationals under the Voluntary Repatriation Exercise departed from Western Cape Province in South Africa on Saturday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation disclosed that the nationals were travelling by road, transiting through Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and were expected to arrive in Malawi through Mwanza Border Post on Monday.

“The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all affected Malawians and its readiness to provide the necessary transit and consular support in coordination with all relevant government ministries, agencies and departments.”

– CAJ News