South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called on Nigerians and other foreign nationals residing in the country to respect its laws, customs, and traditions, amid renewed tensions in parts of the country.
Ramaphosa made the appeal in an address aired on SABC News to mark Freedom Day, against the backdrop of rising anti-foreigner protests in several cities.
“To those who are here legally, respect us as South Africans, respect our laws, respect our conventions and our traditions, as you would want us to respect the laws and traditions of your own country,” he said.
The President stressed that while South Africa remains committed to international cooperation and human rights, it would continue to enforce its immigration laws, particularly against illegal migration.
“So we then therefore say, yes, let us allow our laws to take their course. We have already set in place the way in which we will be able to deal with those who are in our country illegally. We remain committed to multilateralism, to respect for international law and principled diplomacy,” Ramaphosa stated.
Highlighting the importance of global legal frameworks, he added: “International law was born from the devastation of global conflict. It is a shield for all countries in the world, regardless of their size or influence.”
“True multilateralism demands respect for diversity while remaining firm in the core principles of sovereignty, of human rights, of freedom, of accountability and peaceful coexistence,” the President said.
His comments come amid recent protests and reported attacks targeting foreign nationals in cities including Durban, Cape Town, East London, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal, where incidents of looting and violence have been reported.
However, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, has sought to allay fears, insisting that Nigerians are not currently under coordinated attack.
“Right now Nigerians are not under siege in South Africa. The situation is currently under control. The governments are working on it,” Ajayi said during an appearance on Channels Television Morning Brief.
He described the incidents as limited in scope and urged Nigerians to remain cautious without resorting to panic, noting that authorities in both countries are collaborating to maintain safety.
Reacting to viral videos allegedly showing foreigners being harassed or denied access to buildings, Ajayi dismissed such actions as isolated.
“Those people you are seeing don’t represent the entire South African community. They are just people acting on their paymasters,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has issued safety advisories to Nigerians living in South Africa, urging them to remain law-abiding and avoid confrontations.
In a statement, the commission advised Nigerians to “avoid confrontation with protesters, refrain from engaging with demonstration groups, and monitor local media for real-time safety updates.”
NiDCOM warned that protests in cities such as East London, Cape Town, Durban, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal had, in some instances, turned violent, resulting in looting and destruction of property.
The commission also urged Nigerian business owners to take precautionary measures to safeguard their investments and personnel.
It further noted that the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg remains operational and is working closely with South African authorities to ensure the safety of citizens.
NiDCOM disclosed that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is engaging with her South African counterpart to address the situation and strengthen diplomatic efforts.
