President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned South Africans against xenophobia, urging citizens not to allow concerns over illegal migration to fuel hostility towards foreigners.
This is according to a statement on the South African Government’s official website, where the President spoke on Monday at the Dr Rantlai Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein during the country’s Freedom Day celebrations.
Addressing issues of migration and social cohesion, Ramaphosa stressed that while concerns about undocumented migration are legitimate, they must not lead to prejudice against other Africans or foreign nationals.
“We should never allow the legitimate concerns of our communities about illegal migration to breed prejudice towards our fellow Africans,” he said.
He added, “We must not allow these concerns to give rise to xenophobia, directed towards people from other African countries or other any parts of the world.”
The President maintained that immigration laws must be respected and enforced but warned against taking the law into one’s hands.
“We must insist that the law be upheld and enforced,” he said, noting that government was already taking steps to address illegal migration and abuses within the system.
Ramaphosa said authorities were “clamping down on illegal migration and on businesses that flout our laws by hiring undocumented persons at the expense of our citizens,” while also working to eliminate corruption in the immigration system.
He emphasised that South Africa remains committed to its values of unity and humanity, rooted in the African philosophy of ubuntu.
“We are a people who live the value of ubuntu,” he said, adding that foreigners should be treated with dignity and respect.
“We extend hospitality to those who are guests in our country, with the expectation that generosity is honoured with respect for our society and its laws,” he stated.
The President also reflected on the role of international solidarity in ending apartheid, noting that many African countries supported South Africa’s liberation struggle.
“It cannot be, and it must never be, that we trample into the dust the African fellowship that made our freedom possible,” he said.
