South Africa president condemns anti-foreigner violence, defends SA’s refugee policy
South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa
Abdullateef Fowewe
South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected recent violent protests targeting foreign nationals, insisting they undermine South Africa’s pan-African solidarity.
In a statement on Monday, Ramaphosa said, “As a country, we must reject attempts to damage our country’s international reputation and to undermine the solidarity that has defined South Africa’s relations with the rest of Africa since the dawn of democracy.”
He highlighted SA’s refugee framework, “Refugees are not confined to camps, as happens in some other countries. In South Africa, they are able to live in communities, participate in the economy and access services like healthcare and education.”
Ramaphosa noted African visitors made up over 8 million of 10.5 million tourists last year and affirmed SA’s border rights, “Like every other country in the world, we will continue asserting our sovereign right to regulate migration, secure our borders and enforce our laws.”
He added, “There is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence.”
The address follows April-May anti-immigration protests in Pretoria and Johannesburg that turned violent against African migrants, drawing warnings from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya amid pledges for deportations.
