International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has urged Southern African Development Community (SADC) foreign affairs ministers to confront migration challenges facing the region amid escalating anti-immigration protests in South Africa.

Addressing a retreat of SADC foreign ministers at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park on Friday, Lamola called for an honest and constructive discussion on migration and its underlying causes.

“For this reason, the region and the continent must hold constructive and comprehensive discussions on the push and pull factors of migration, including the related socio-economic, governance and security dimensions,” he said.

Lamola’s remarks come amid growing anti-immigration protests across South Africa and warnings from the March and March movement, which has given undocumented migrants until June 30, 2026, to leave the country.

The tensions have prompted countries such as Ghana to begin evacuating their citizens from South Africa.

Government has condemned the protests and called on law enforcement agencies to act, although frustrations among locals over illegal immigration and competition for jobs continue to intensify.

Lamola said South Africa recognised migration as an important contributor to regional development when managed effectively, adding that no country could succeed in isolation.

The minister reiterated government’s condemnation of attacks against foreign nationals and warned against vigilantism.

“South Africa is one of the seven SADC countries, out of 16 member states, that has ratified the 2005 SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons. Similarly, South Africa supports and aligns itself with the African Union Free Movement of Persons Protocol,” he said.

He said regional discussions should also focus on infrastructure, transport and logistics, industrialisation, value chains and trade, energy, oil and gas, mineral resources, agriculture, food security and financing regional integration.

Lamola stressed that migration discussions must include the principle of burden-sharing, with attention given to countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as the root causes of irregular migration.

The minister also told delegates they were meeting at a defining moment in global geopolitics, describing the international order as undergoing profound transformation.

He said the world was shifting towards a multipolar order characterised by intensified geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, technological rivalry and uncertainty over global peace, security and development cooperation.

“Unlike previous eras dominated by a single or bipolar power structure, today’s geopolitical landscape is characterised by multiple centres of power competing across economic, political, technological and strategic domains,” Lamola said.

“The tensions arising from this power shift are increasingly disrupting global supply chains, reshaping investment flows, intensifying territorial and resource competition and weakening multilateral cooperation.”

He said SADC needed resilient, coordinated and forward-looking responses to protect the region from global shocks.

“What emerged clearly from our discussions was the urgent need for SADC to adopt more resilient, coordinated and forward-looking regional responses to the geopolitical context,” he said.

Lamola said the region needed to answer two critical questions: how to pursue the vision of a resilient SADC amid global instability, and what strategies could shield regional economies and citizens from external shocks.

“The moment has come for the region to confer, reflect honestly and agree on a practical way forward,” he said.

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The South African government has raised serious national security concerns with the Kingdom of Eswatini following confirmation that a group of dangerous criminals from various nationalities was deported from the United States to Eswatini on a special flight.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Chrispin Phiri confirmed that South Africa has formally communicated its concerns to the government of Eswatini and has requested a high-level diplomatic engagement to discuss the issue further

“Whilst respecting the sovereign decision of the government of Eswatini, the government of the Republic of South Africa is deeply concerned about the profile of these individuals and the potential adverse impact on South Africa’s national security and immigration policy, given the geographical proximity between the two sisterly countries,” Phiri said.

The alarm was raised after Eswatini’s acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli confirmed the arrival of the group, which includes individuals convicted of serious offences.

Their arrival was further substantiated by an announcement from the United States Department of Homeland Security, which stated that the deportees, had been removed from US custody and transported to the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Phiri highlighted that many of the deportees are from countries that have already indicated their unwillingness to receive them.

This raised fears that Eswatini may become a long-term holding ground or unofficial transit hub for such individuals, a scenario with potential cross-border implications.

The government reiterated the importance of prior consultations and information sharing on issues of international deportation that could impact neighbouring states.

Both Eswatini and the US have indicated their intention to work with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to facilitate the deportation process.

According to official reports, the IOM will assist in arranging the return of these individuals to their countries of origin.

However, South Africa remains sceptical about the success of this plan.

Many of the countries have cited a lack of documentation, security concerns or refused to accept criminal deportees.

Phiri added that South Africa would seek clarity on the vetting process applied to the deportees, any security measures being implemented by Eswatini, and whether further deportations of a similar nature are expected in the coming weeks or months.

South Africa has also requested that all stakeholders consult regional bodies such as the Southern African Development Community to ensure that proper protocols are followed when deporting individuals into the region.

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The South African armed forces said Thursday they had begun withdrawing their peacekeeping troops from rebel-controlled eastern Congo.

The South African National Defense Force said the troops began moving out earlier this week and would travel through neighboring Rwanda to Tanzania and fly home from there.

Peacekeeping troops from Malawi and Tanzania have also started withdrawing from Congo. The three countries contributed soldiers to a southern African peacekeeping force but they had been left trapped in eastern Congo after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launched an offensive in late January and took control of the strategic city of Goma.

Fourteen South African and three Malawian soldiers were killed in fighting with M23 in January. The southern African regional body decided in March to end its peacekeeping mission early and bring the troops home.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said on X that his country was providing safe passage and an escort for the peacekeepers and their equipment.

On Wednesday, hundreds of stranded Congolese government soldiers and police officers, along with their families, were also starting to be transferred from Goma back to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was escorting them.

M23 controls Goma and a second major city in eastern Congo and is supported by around 4,000 troops from Rwanda, according to experts from the United Nations.

Congo and Rwanda have held talks mediated by Qatar and supported by the United States and say they are working toward a peace agreement.

AP

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for more vigour by South Africa and Lesotho to implement already sealed agreements between the two countries.

Ramaphosa made the call at the end of the second session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) of the two countries held in Maseru on Wednesday.

The president assured the mountain kingdom that South Africa was a trusted, reliable and committed partner.

“The spirit of friendship, cooperation and solidarity that underpins our very close relations has been given renewed impetus. 

“You will agree with me excellency that the future of our collaboration is bright, and the people of South Africa and Lesotho will continue to enjoy the fruits of our labour for generations to come,” he said.

Ramaphosa singled out King Letsie III, saying that he wished that his wisdom and guidance would continue to advance the fortunes of the nation. 

“As South Africa, we stand side by side with you as we seek to develop our countries further,” he said.

The president added that the discussions underscored the need to accelerate the implementation of decisions, projects and programmes arising out of the BNC.

Although the two nations had made strides in that regard, more work still needed to be done to reach the desired outcomes. 

Ramaphosa added that South Africa and Lesotho had the opportunity for closer collaboration in many areas. 

“Apart from greater private sector collaboration, we should give attention to infrastructure development, energy and food security, bilateral and regional value chains, and greater trade,” he said.

Ramaphosa said that while other countries were creating barriers, including imposing tariffs, it was incumbent on the two countries to promote trade relations that reflected common interests of both countries.

He committed to working closely with South Africa’s partners and neighbours in the Southern African Development Community and through the African Continental Free Trade Area. 

The two countries would continue to play constructive roles in the regions, the continent and globally in the collective desire for peace and a prosperous world, the president said.

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