South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has pronounced a strong warning to Nigerians and other foreign nationals residing in the country, urging strict adherence to local laws and traditions amid rising anti-foreigner tensions.
Speaking during a Freedom Day address aired on SABC News, Ramaphosa stressed that while South Africa remains open and committed to global cooperation, respect for its sovereignty and legal framework is non-negotiable.
“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 maintained that authorities would not hesitate to act against illegal immigrants, calling on citizens to allow the law to take its course.
“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 systems, 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,” he said.
He added, “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.”
Ramaphosa’s remarks come against the backdrop of renewed unrest in parts of South Africa, including Durban, Cape Town, East London, and areas in KwaZulu-Natal, where protests have reportedly escalated into looting and violence targeting foreign nationals.
Amid growing concerns, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, sought to calm fears, insisting the situation is under control.
“Right now Nigerians are not under siege in South Africa. The situation is currently under control. The governments are working on it,” Ajayi said.
He downplayed viral videos showing alleged harassment of foreigners, dismissing those involved as unrepresentative of the broader South African population.
“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 has urged Nigerians living in South Africa to remain cautious, law-abiding, and avoid confrontations, especially as protests in some areas have turned violent.
Authorities in both countries are said to be working closely to ensure the safety of citizens, even as diplomatic engagements continue to address the situation.
