South Africa on Friday rejected xenophobia accusations, dismissing recent anti-immigrant incidents as isolated while calling for renewed diplomatic engagement with African nations on migration.
The response came after Ghana formally requested that the African Union (AU) place what it described as xenophobic attacks on African nationals onto the agenda of the upcoming AU Mid-Year Coordination Summit scheduled for June.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that the government had swiftly condemned acts of confrontation and intimidation following sporadic protests since late April in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. Demonstrators accused foreign nationals of taking jobs and business opportunities from local communities.
Law enforcement agencies received instructions to protect the safety of citizens, residents and visitors, and to hold perpetrators accountable under the law, DIRCO said.
DIRCO Minister Ronald Lamola engaged counterparts from Ghana, Nigeria and several other African countries to brief them on the situation and reaffirm Pretoria’s commitment to upholding the rights of all people residing within its borders.
The department also rejected social media reports claiming that Ghanaian and Nigerian nationals had been killed during the unrest, stating there was no credible evidence to support those allegations.
DIRCO noted that approximately 3 million migrants currently reside in South Africa, with around 90 percent originating from other African countries. The government acknowledged that migration pressures, unemployment and irregular movement had at times fuelled tensions between local communities and foreign nationals.
Pretoria reaffirmed its support for regional and continental migration frameworks and confirmed it was reviewing its immigration policy to better address the underlying challenges.
“South Africa will continue to lead with a Pan-African heart,” Lamola said.
The government said it remained open to constructive dialogue with African partners on shared migration concerns and reiterated that managed migration required cooperation and continental responsibility.
