Maseru, June 08 — President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly condemned xenophobia, violence and vigilantism.
The President’s firm stance came amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment and protests. While acknowledging that local communities have legitimate concerns regarding undocumented migrants, he made it clear that these concerns must not breed hatred. He maintained that South Africans are generally not xenophobic.
He emphasized that enforcing immigration laws is the responsibility of the state and its authorised officials alone, warning citizens not to take law into their own hands by confronting individuals on the street or demanding on the street or demanding proof.
“No one is allowed to bypass the authorities to enforce immigration laws themselves”, he said. He cautioned against yielding to violence and vigilantism.
He said the government is actively clamping down on illegal migration and ensuring employers do not hire undocumented individuals but said this must be done through lawful, official channels.
He highlighted that foreign nationals must respect South African laws and authorities are working to tighten border security, fix immigration loopholes and stamp out corruption within the system.
He said many South Africans are asking difficult but legitimate questions, they are asking whether their borders are secure, they are concerned about jobs, they are concerned about safety, security and the rule of law saying these concerns are real and deserve to be heard and addressed.
“South Africa faces persistently high levels of unemployment especially among young people. Too many families are struggling to make ends meet. Too many communities are experiencing poverty and inadequate access to opportunities and in such circumstances, frustration can easily be directed at those perceived to be competitors for jobs and resources. Yet we must recognize that illegal immigration is not the cause of all our economic challenges,” he said.
He stated that the answer must be faster economic growth, greater investment, industrial expansion, infrastructure development and the creation of millions of new jobs.
“We know that migration is a global issue, it affects all countries. Our country, like many others throughout history, is a product of migration. It is the reason for our diversity and contributes to our vibrancy and as a democracy we have welcomed visitors to our country”, he noted.
Mr. Ramaphosa stressed that in line with their international obligations and their constitutional values, they accept people from other countries in need of protection from wars, conflicts, discrimination and violence.
Moreover, he mentioned that South Africa has a right to implement policies and measures that prevent irregular migration. South Africa is committed to protect, uphold and advance the human rights of all people in their country whether citizens or foreign nationals.
He therefore assured that they are committed to honour international obligations.
He indicated that last week,the Cabinet adopted a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, the approach that has been endorsed by the President’s Coordinating Council which includes Premiers and MECs, Representatives of local government and representatives of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders.
Meanwhile, ongoing flare-ups and protests against undocumented immigrants have resulted in several fatalities, though exact injury figures across all recent skirmishes remain fluid and undocumented in national statistics.
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