South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned recent attacks and protests targeting foreign nationals, accusing “opportunists” of exploiting economic frustrations to fuel violence and division.
In an open letter released Monday, Ramaphosa said the attacks against migrants do not represent the views of most South Africans or the official position of the government.
“We must make it clear that there is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence,” Ramaphosa wrote.
The South African leader said criminal elements were taking advantage of genuine public frustration, particularly among poor communities struggling with unemployment, housing shortages and pressure on public services.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that undocumented immigration has become a major political and social issue in South Africa, saying illegal migration places strain on healthcare systems, housing and municipal services.
He also accused some employers of exploiting undocumented foreign workers by paying them lower wages.
However, Ramaphosa insisted the issue must be handled legally and warned citizens against taking the law into their own hands.
“Some of these people are assuming functions that only state officials are permitted to perform,” he said, referring to groups accused of stopping people in streets, checking identification documents and targeting foreign-owned businesses.
The remarks come after weeks of protests and violent incidents linked to anti-immigrant demonstrations in cities including Johannesburg, Tshwane and Durban.
Some protests associated with groups such as Operation Dudula have reportedly led to attacks on migrant-owned shops and intimidation of foreign nationals.
Several African governments, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique and Malawi have raised concerns over the safety of their citizens living in South Africa.
Nigeria recently announced plans to repatriate more than 100 of its nationals following reports of attacks and harassment.
On Reddit and other platforms, users argued over whether the protests are genuinely about undocumented immigration or reflect deeper hostility toward African migrants in general.
South Africa has long struggled with periodic outbreaks of xenophobic violence, often linked to economic hardship, unemployment and competition over jobs and public services.
Analysts say frustration over the country’s unemployment rate, which remains above 30 percent, has increasingly fueled anti-immigrant sentiment in poorer communities.
Despite the tensions, Ramaphosa and senior government officials continue insisting that South Africans are not inherently xenophobic and have called for cooperation with neighboring African countries to address migration challenges peacefully.
