South African President Expects Action Against Violent Protesters

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said President Cyril Ramaphosa expects law enforcement agencies to take action to prevent any acts of violence against individuals during ongoing anti-immigrant protests. The demonstrations against undocumented immigrants have spread across several major cities in South Africa.

Magwenya made the remarks at a media briefing on Wednesday. He said the issue had been discussed the previous day between Ramaphosa and his Mozambican counterpart, President Daniel Chapo, during the latter's working visit to South Africa. South Africans are not xenophobic.

What you have [are] pockets of protest [which] is permissible within our constitutional framework," Magwenya said. He added that immigration remains a pressure point in many countries worldwide where similar protests occur. Magwenya emphasised the importance of respecting the rights of everyone within South Africa's borders and conducting any protests peacefully without causing harm.

The two presidents agreed that African countries must work together to address underlying causes of migration. These include conflict, instability and, in some cases, misgovernance that leads people to seek refuge in other parts of the continent including South Africa.

"They both agreed that there has to be that genuine, open and frank conversation across the continent," Magwenya said. He added that Ramaphosa emphasised South Africa is a welcoming country whose people are open, friendly and warm, and that any notion characterising the country or its people as xenophobic would be rejected.

Magwenya stated that Ramaphosa expects law enforcement to play its role to prevent any acts of violence against any individual. The protests have included scenes of demonstrators marching with traditional weapons in Durban.