South Africa’s response to the request by the Republic of Ghana for a debate at the AU on the “Xenophobic Attacks in the Republic of South Africa against African Nationals”

The Government of the Republic of South Africa has noted the request by the Republic of Ghana for a debate at the upcoming African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Summit scheduled to take place in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, on the 24th of June 2026 on what it calls "Xenophobic Attacks in the Republic of South Africa against African Nationals".

Following sporadic incidents of confrontation against some immigrants, among them citizens of fellow African states residing in South Africa by sections in our communities earlier this month, the South African government moved swiftly to condemn acts of confrontation and intimidation and directed all law enforcement agencies to promptly take the necessary actions within the laws of the Republic to guarantee the safety of citizens, residents and visitors and to bring to book all perpetrators whose actions are inconsistent with the rule of law and fundamental values of our Constitution.

It is a matter of public record that on the occasion of our nation's commemoration of Freedom Day on 27 April 2026, the President of the Republic of South Africa, HE President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, strongly condemned those who took the law into their own hands while affirming the enduring bonds of solidarity and friendship between South Africa and fellow African states and acknowledged the overwhelming support of African countries to South Africa's liberation struggle. In this regard, the President said:

"We did not walk alone into freedom. We were carried by a tide of solidarity from the nations of Africa, among many others. These countries opened their borders to our liberation fighters. They shared their bread and their homes. They spoke for us when we could not speak for ourselves. The leaders and people of Africa kept our struggle alive. It cannot be, and it must never be, that we trample into the dust 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."

Since the outbreak of these unfortunate incidents, Minister Ronald Lamola has had intensive engagements with a number of fellow African Foreign Ministers and resident African Ambassadors regarding these developments to assure them that these matters are receiving the attention of the relevant authorities in South Africa. Specifically, Minister Lamola engaged his Ghanaian and Nigerian counterparts, and reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to protect the rights of nationals. residents and visitors in line with the rule of law, and to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Furthermore, Minister Lamola went on to clarify developments related to these incidents which alleged that some nationals from Ghana and Nigeria were killed during the recent protests by law enforcement authorities. There is no credible evidence to draw this conclusion at this stage. South Africa cautions against manipulated footages and divisive narratives including fake videos that have been circulating on various social media platforms.

In all his engagements with counterparts, the Minister Lamola reaffirmed the South Africa's unwavering commitment to the Pan-African agenda, Ubuntu and solidarity, the values around which many African states and ordinary people cohered to support the people of South Africa during our struggle against apartheid.

During the discussions, particularly, with both Foreign Ministers of Ghana and Nigeria, Minister Lamola highlighted the existing strong and enduring bilateral relations between South Africa and their respective countries which span over several decades, comprising of comprehensive government-to-government, people-to-people and economic co-operation. These relations are co-ordinated at a Presidential level through Bi-National Commissions (BNCs). Against this background, Minister Lamola invited his counterparts to work together through these established mechanisms to address all the challenges which may arise between our respective countries, including addressing the root causes of migration challenges and implementing early warning systems. To this end, Minister Lamola conveyed President Ramaphosa's commitment to continue discussions with his counterparts during the upcoming sessions of the BNC scheduled for this year.

In all its engagements with fellow African partners since these incidents, South Africa has called for the upholding of diplomatic decorum, mutual respect, transparency, and fraternity and the need to guard against approaches that risk sowing division, escalating tensions at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. In this regard, South Africa welcomes the initiative of countries that have directly reached out to seek clarity and understanding of these incidents.

The Challenge of Migration:

South Africa has gone to great lengths to welcome and integrate millions of immigrants of African countries - and many others from beyond our continent. According to a conservative estimate, South Africa is home to approximately three million migrants, 90 percent of whom are from the African continent, thus making South Africa the largest host of African immigrants in the world1. This has turned the country into a melting pot of various African cultures. Most of these immigrations have integrated into South African society and form a vital bridge between South Africa and their countries of origin at a people-to-people level.

It is also a fact that South Africa's history of migration and its diverse foreign-born population have intersected with economic anxieties around unemployment, and service delivery, contributing to period tensions between some locals and foreign nationals most of whom lack a legal immigration status, resulting in tension.

South Africa has demonstrated its commitment to all the regional, continental and global frameworks which seek to facilitate the movement of people across borders. In this regard, South Africa is one of the seven SADC member states out of 16 member states that has ratified the 2005 SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons.

Whilst South Africa supports the overall objectives of both the SADC Protocol and the AU Free Movement Of Persons protocol, we recognise that the slow progress towards their ratification and entry into force is due to several challenges faced by member states. These challenges include economic and social pressures, governance and policy difficulties, security challenges, and pressure on Border Management Systems. Some of these challenges are acutely pronounced in South Africa as the host of the largest number of immigrants on the continent.

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 in order to agree on bilateral migration dispensations with some partners in the region.

¹ It is widely reported that 10 African countries with the highest number of international migrants are ranked as follows:

It should be noted that in our context, non-Nationals are embedded in our society, and we have no refugee camps for asylum-seekers as is the case in other countries, as we promote a humane policy of integration. It is against this background that the South African Government is in the process of improving the state's capacity to manage immigration through a number of interventions.

Incidentally, some of the proposed measures are similar to some of the legislative measures recently adopted by Ghana, such as:

• Economic Protection: Just as Ghana's GIPC Act reserve certain sectors for its own citizens, South Africa introduces a points-based visa system to ensure migration supports national development.

• Compliance and Sovereignty: Our Intelligent Population Register will guarantee that entry is legal, documented, and merit-based, safeguarding both dignity and national security.

• Shared Responsibility: By adopting the "First Safe Country" principle, South Africa calls for a regional system of refugee protection where compassion is matched by administrative capacity, ensuring that there is dignity for those in need without overwhelming any single state.

• Border Management Authority: Since April 2023, the Border Management Authority (BMA) has deported 500 000 people. Moreover, steps are being taken to demolish and rebuild South Africa's six busiest land ports of entry as part of a transformative public-private partnership (PPP).

The continent's migration challenges need to shift from apportioning blame to practical solutions based on burden-sharing. 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.

It is against this background that regional integration, driven by a Pan-African agenda, forms a significant part of how South Africa's relations with the rest of the continent and the world. For South Africa, Pan-Africanism demands an African consciousness and an African loyalty; the spirit that the plight of its people and that of the rest of the African continent is inextricably intertwined. It is imperative that migration remains safe, orderly and regular so that countries of origin, transit and destination assume their responsibilities in a structured manner.

In conclusion South Africa remains open to continued diplomatic engagement and constructive dialogue with any State on matters of mutual concern, hence South Africa finds Ghana's decision to escalate concerns about irregular migration to the African Union regrettable.

However, should the AU deem it appropriate to place the on the Agenda, South Africa will also propose an agenda item on the push and pull factors of migration, including good governance, rule of law, and democracy, in accordance with the Constitutive Act of the AU.

"South Africa will continue to lead with a Pan-African heart. Our commitment is to solidarity, the rule of law, and the safety of all who reside within our borders. Migration must be managed through cooperation, compassion and continental responsibility," said Minister Lamola.

Enquiries: Mr Chrispin Phiri Spokesperson For International Relations and Cooperation

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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