President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation on the government's management approach to illegal migration and the recent surge in protests against foreign nationals. South Africa. (GCIS)
Less than a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenyan President William Ruto stood at the Union Buildings promoting trade, investment and African integration, South Africa is sending envoys across the continent to explain its migration crackdown.
The diplomatic effort follows Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Sunday, in which he announced a raft of measures aimed at tackling illegal immigration, including immigration courts, intensified deportations, labour migration quotas and tighter border controls.
The decision to dispatch envoys received far less attention than the enforcement measures themselves. Yet it may prove to be one of the most revealing aspects of the government’s response.
In an interview with Ghana’s Joy FM this week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola acknowledged that recent anti-foreigner tensions had affected South Africa’s relations on the continent.
