Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has warned that South Africa’s ongoing migration tensions are beginning to have economic consequences, revealing that at least one local artist has had all of her performances across the African continent cancelled.
Speaking on government’s response to the fallout from migration-related tensions, Kubayi said the backlash was affecting South Africa’s reputation abroad and directly impacting livelihoods.
“We can’t lie about it, the backlash,” Kubayi said.
“One artist reached out to me to say all her gigs on the continent had been cancelled. This is an income loss for a South African, so the country’s brand does get affected.”
Kubayi said government, through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), was engaging businesses operating abroad and providing support where they faced challenges linked to perceptions about South Africa’s migration policies and social tensions.
