South Africa: Ramaphosa Vows Action Against Perpetrators of Xenophobic Violence
[Daily Maverick] President Cyril Ramaphosa pledges action against those who attack migrants, outlines diplomatic engagement with African leaders and calls for continental dialogue on migration and its root causes.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to take action against those responsible for attacking migrants in South Africa. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Ramaphosa vowed that the perpetrators of violence against foreign nationals will be arrested and charged. He emphasized that South Africa has not been snubbed or isolated by other African leaders due to the recent xenophobic violence.
EFF leader Julius Malema questioned why the perpetrators had not been arrested and prosecuted, stating that they are known. Malema also pointed out instances where perpetrators were attacking African immigrants in the presence of the police, without any arrests. He claimed that this gives the impression that the violence is state-sanctioned against African nationals, which hardens the attitude of African nations towards South Africa.
Malema mentioned that two of the alleged perpetrators met with Ramaphosa in June, suggesting a connection between Afriforum and March, known for their dangerous alliance against immigrants. The violent actions against immigrants are causing setbacks to South Africa's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and creating rifts among African nations.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
