Ramaphosa says illegal immigration concerns shouldn’t give rise to xenophobia

President Cyril Ramaphosa said concerns about illegal immigration should not give rise to hatred and xenophobia.

Over the past weeks, there has been a number of anti-immigration protests, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Some of these demonstrations have led to violence and confrontations with foreign nationals, especially those of African descent.

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Both the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia have publicly condemned this.

During his Freedom Day speech in Bloemfontein on Monday, Ramaphosa reminded the crowd that South Africa’s freedom was achieved through international solidarity.

“It cannot be and must never be that we trample into the dust of the African fellowship that made our freedom possible. We are a people who live the value of ubuntu. We should never allow the legitimate concerns of our communities about illegal migration to breed prejudice towards our fellow Africans.

“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. Instead, we must insist that the law be upheld and enforced.”

Meanwhile, during his own Freedom Day speech in Westonaria on Monday, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) president Velenkosini Hlabisa warned the problem of illegal immigration requires urgent, decisive leadership.

“We are all aware the issue of the illegal migrants in our country is at a tipping point to explode. As we can see the marches, protests, throughout our country, we are just at a tipping where these problems are going to explode.

“What is good, because being part of the GNU [Government of National Unity], we maintained our view that undocumented foreign nationals with no specialised skills in South Africa must go back to their respective countries.”