South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to take firm action against groups responsible for xenophobic violence as anti-immigrant protests continue to spread across parts of the country.
The unrest has drawn regional concern, with Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, and Mozambique repatriating some of their citizens affected by the protests, which have in some cases turned violent.
Mozambique reported that five of its citizens were killed during the disturbances.
In a televised national address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said his government would not allow individuals or groups to exploit public concerns about illegal immigration to pursue political, personal, or criminal interests.
“We will act against forces who are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal and criminal agendas,” the president said.
He added that the government would not tolerate attempts to incite violence or destabilise the country.
“We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilize our country through inciting lawlessness and violence,” Ramaphosa stated.
The president also cautioned citizens against taking immigration enforcement into their own hands.
He warned against incidents in which individuals stop people in public places to demand proof of identity or immigration status, stressing that enforcing immigration laws remains the sole responsibility of the state.
Xenophobic attacks have been a recurring challenge in South Africa over the years. Migrants are often blamed for social and economic difficulties, including unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services.
However, advocates for migrant communities argue that such claims are frequently exaggerated and exploited by populist political movements.
Ramaphosa acknowledged widespread frustrations over unemployment and poverty but said migrants should not be unfairly blamed for broader socio-economic challenges.
He noted that the government is implementing measures to improve migration management, including stricter enforcement of immigration regulations and reforms to existing laws.
According to the president, South Africa is also working with neighbouring countries to address the root causes of illegal migration and strengthen regional cooperation.
Among the proposed reforms are specialised immigration courts designed to speed up the processing of immigration-related cases.
The government is also accelerating efforts to replace South Africa’s traditional paper-based “green book” identity documents with more secure biometric digital identity cards for citizens and legally resident migrants.
Meanwhile, the situation has attracted diplomatic attention across the continent.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced on Saturday that his country had petitioned the African Union over the treatment of Ghanaians living in South Africa.
He said the Ghanaian government is compiling a record of assets and properties lost by its citizens as a result of the attacks. The information could be used in future legal proceedings.
The latest developments have renewed calls for stronger protections for migrants across Africa and increased cooperation among governments to address both migration challenges and rising xenophobic sentiments.
