Simon Nare
Government has appealed to African states to find practical solutions to migration and burden-sharing instead of apportioning blame.
This came after Ghana requested that alleged xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa be debated at an upcoming African Union meeting.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said Ghana had asked for a debate at the AU Mid-Year Coordination Summit, scheduled to take place in Cairo in June, on “Xenophobic Attacks in the Republic of South Africa against African Nationals”.
Ghana’s request follows recent protests in South Africa over illegal immigration, some of which have been marred by violence and confrontations.
Government said it had acknowledged the protests, but cautioned that some incidents and online material may have been driven by elements seeking to destabilise the country, a point also raised by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni at a post-cabinet briefing this week.
DIRCO minister Ronald Lamola, responding to Ghana’s request for a debate, said South Africa had noted the matter but cautioned against apportioning blame instead of finding lasting solutions for the continent.
“This challenge on our continent needs to be addressed, not by pandering to short-term gains, but rather systemic patterns of change that address the root causes of irregular migration,” he said in a statement.
Lamola said that after the flare-up of anti-foreign national sentiment, he had engaged African diplomats in the country, including those representing Ghana and Nigeria, and briefed them on South Africa’s position and the steps being taken by government.
He also warned his counterparts about the credibility and authenticity of some video footage circulating on social media, including claims that foreign nationals had been killed by law enforcement authorities during protests.
“There is no credible evidence to draw this conclusion at this stage. South Africa cautions against manipulated footage and divisive narratives, including fake videos that have been circulating on various social media platforms,” he said.
Lamola’s statement said that in all his engagements with counterparts, he had reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the Pan-African agenda and continental solidarity.
Lamola said that government had moved swiftly to condemn the sporadic incidents of confrontation at protests, and called on law enforcement to act, guarantee the safety of citizens and foreign nationals, and bring perpetrators and instigators to book.
Ntshavheni, speaking after this week’s cabinet meeting, also dismissed some of the videos being circulated on social media, saying they were designed to portray South Africa as xenophobic and damage its international standing.
Lamola said President Cyril Ramaphosa had also condemned attacks on foreign nationals in his Freedom Day address on 27 April and called for tolerance.
Ramaphosa said South Africans should not allow legitimate concerns about illegal migration to breed prejudice against fellow Africans, and that the law should be upheld and enforced.
Lamola said South Africa hosted one of the largest migrant populations on the continent and was reviewing its immigration policy framework to better respond to migration challenges.
“As a matter of priority, South Africa is currently reviewing its immigration policy framework in order to better respond to these challenges. To this end, a White Paper on Migration has been developed.
“Through the White Paper, South Africa intends to align with international best practices, and there are ongoing discussions to agree on bilateral migration dispensations with some partners in the region,” he said.
DIRCO said South Africa hosted an estimated three million migrants, about 90% of them from the African continent. It said this highlighted the need for a continental response to migration.
Ntshavheni said after the cabinet meeting that government would amend the law to strengthen controls around foreign nationals trading in certain sectors.
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