The South African Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure has called on law enforcement to take measures against those responsible for violence towards migrants, highlighting that these events harm the country’s international reputation.
“It is our duty to protect the vulnerable and uphold our immigration policies,” Dean Macpherson told reporters at a Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Southern Africa event at Bloomberg’s Johannesburg office on Friday. “We also need to identify individuals who incite violence and hatred, as our global perception is crucial.”
The South African cabinet is set to discuss the matter on Friday, approaching the June 30 deadline established by anti-immigration activists for foreigners to leave. This situation has prompted Malawi, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe to assist in the return of more than 3,000 of their citizens.
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The unrest reflects a growing wave of anti-immigrant sentiment, with foreigners increasingly blamed for unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services. South Africa’s unemployment rate is currently at 32.7%, among the highest worldwide.
The protests have raised concerns about potential violence similar to the crisis in 2008, which resulted in 62 fatalities and displaced over 50,000 people during a series of xenophobic attacks. This has sparked outrage across the continent and calls for retaliatory measures against South African businesses.
“We’ve seen various comments about South Africa, some justified and some not; however, we must confront these issues and protect the nation’s image,” Macpherson added.
On June 7, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced intentions to enhance measures against illegal immigration. In the last month, authorities have apprehended at least 7,400 undocumented migrants for immigration violations.
“It is essential to empower law enforcement to handle these issues, instead of leaving it to individual citizens,” Neville Matjie, CEO of Brand South Africa, commented during the event.
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