South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned citizens against taking the law into their own hands by targeting foreign nationals, stressing that immigration enforcement remains the exclusive mandate of the state.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, June 7, Ramaphosa said no individual or group has the authority to confront people in public and demand proof of identity, amid rising tensions over illegal immigration and renewed anti‑foreigner sentiment.
His remarks follow a surge in xenophobic incidents and coordinated anti‑immigrant campaigns by some groups, raising fresh concerns about public safety and social cohesion.
“The responsibility for enforcing immigration laws rests with the state, and the state alone,” he said.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that South Africans have legitimate concerns about illegal immigration but warned that such concerns must not be weaponised to justify violence, intimidation, or attacks on foreign nationals.
“Only authorized government officials may act against violations of the law, including violations of our immigration laws,” he stressed.
He also condemned the spread of misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric on social media, noting that some groups were exploiting immigration anxieties to advance political, personal, or criminal agendas.
“We must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilize our country through inciting lawlessness and violence,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ghana has evacuated 1,500 nationals who voluntarily opted to return home following recent waves of xenophobic attacks and anti‑immigrant protests in South Africa.
CitiNewsRoom
