South Africans are not xenophobic – Ramaphosa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected claims that South Africans are inherently xenophobic, insisting that there is no place for intolerance, discrimination, or hostility towards foreign nationals in the country.

His remarks come at a time of heightened concern over recent attacks and tensions involving foreign nationals living in South Africa, developments that have prompted several African countries, including Ghana, to take steps to protect their citizens.

Delivering a special national address on Sunday, June 7, President Ramaphosa sought to reassure both South Africans and the international community that the values of tolerance, diversity, and peaceful coexistence remain central to South African society.

The president acknowledged growing concerns over incidents involving foreign nationals but maintained that such actions do not represent the views or character of the broader South African population.

“We know that South Africans are not xenophobic, as there is no space for xenophobia, for racism, for sexism, for Afrophobia, or any other form of intolerance in South Africa.

“As communities and as a society, we must not be tempted to join those who want us to turn against people who were not born in South Africa and who are in our midst. We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence.”

Over the years, South Africa has periodically experienced outbreaks of anti-immigrant violence, often driven by concerns over unemployment, crime, competition for resources, and broader economic challenges.

Such incidents have attracted condemnation from governments across the continent and prompted calls for stronger measures to protect migrants.

Ghana is among the nations that have responded to the recent wave of xenophobic attacks by facilitating the return of its citizens from South Africa.

The Ghanaian government has been undertaking evacuation and repatriation efforts to assist nationals who have expressed fears for their safety following the escalation of attacks targeting foreigners.