South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed growing xenophobic tensions in the country, saying South Africans are not naturally against foreigners and calling for African nations to work together on the issue.
Ramaphosa made the remarks in Pretoria while hosting Daniel Chapo during official talks between the two leaders.
“The troubling issues, such as what we have experienced in South Africa, which I have spoken about, that South Africans inherently are not against people from other nations. We are one people. We have always been one people,” Ramaphosa said.
The president said South Africa must balance the safety of foreign nationals living in the country with concerns being raised by local citizens over immigration and related social pressures.
“And of course, we’ve got to also pay heed to the security of those from other countries who are in South Africa, but also pay heed to the concerns that are being raised by South Africans,” he added.
Ramaphosa said he and Chapo agreed that regional cooperation would be necessary to deal with the issue, noting that the impact goes beyond South Africa alone.
“President Chapo and myself discussed this matter, and we agreed that we should work together. It’s not only one country that is affected,” he said.
The comments come as anti-immigrant rhetoric and protests continue to trend on South African social media platforms, with some groups accusing foreign nationals of contributing to crime, unemployment, and pressure on public services.
In recent years, South Africa has experienced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence, sometimes targeting migrants and business owners from other African countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
Ramaphosa did not directly mention any specific group behind the recent tensions but emphasized that African countries must “join hands” to find long-term solutions.
