President Cyril Ramaphosa says police and other security agencies are processing reports and evidence relating to violence against foreign nationals, with arrests and prosecutions expected against those found to have violated the law.
The President was responding to a supplementary question from Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema in Parliament on Tuesday, following concerns over violence against African foreign nationals in South Africa.
Malema alleged that perpetrators had in some instances committed violence in the presence of police officers without being arrested, creating the impression that the attacks were state-sanctioned.
He questioned why those responsible had not been arrested and prosecuted.
In his response, the President said the matter is being attended to.
“Thank you for that question, Honourable Malema. The issue of the instigators of these violent actions that have been taken against people from other countries is a matter that is being processed. The police have informed us, and all security apparatus have informed us that they are following up on it. They are getting all the reports and evidence,” he said.
He added that arrests have already been made.
“A number of other people have been arrested, and of course, those others who were seen to be leading these processes are also people who are of interest, of direct interest to the police, and that is a process that is going to be followed up,” President Ramaphosa said.
This as government remains concerned about the matter.
“We are obviously concerned about the actions that have been taken against any Africans in our country, and we have made it clear that those who violate the law, those who transgress various precepts of our laws, need to be dealt with,” he said.
Law-enforcement agencies would pursue cases involving violence, including incidents that had resulted in injury or death.
“In a number of cases, where, for instance, incidents of violence have even resulted in injury or death, we are going to be following all that up and ensuring indeed that those who have perpetrated those acts are followed up on.”
The President's response came amid wider parliamentary questions on the impact of anti-migrant mobilisation on South Africa's relations with other African countries.
Government has repeatedly rejected xenophobia and Afrophobia and has maintained that migration challenges must be addressed within the framework of the law.
President Ramaphosa said South Africa's approach was based on strengthening the state's capacity to manage migration rather than allowing unlawful actions against foreign nationals.
He pointed to reforms aimed at strengthening border management, tackling corruption within the immigration system, improving legal migration pathways and implementing the White Paper on Citizenship, Migration and Refugee Protection.
The President also said South Africa has been engaging with other African countries on migration through the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), arguing that the challenge could not be addressed through unilateral action or by targeting migrants.
At the recent 46th Ordinary SADC Summit hosted by South Africa in eThekwini, government placed migration on the agenda and briefed regional leaders on developments in the country.
President Ramaphosa said South Africa had done so without being prompted by other leaders.
The SADC Summit subsequently called for a coordinated and multidimensional regional dialogue to address the underlying drivers of migration and develop comprehensive, sustainable and effective responses.
READ | SADC seeks to turn borders into gateways for trade, travel and regional integration
President Ramaphosa said this approach was necessary to ensure that migration was managed through lawful and humane means, while addressing the circumstances that cause people to leave their countries. – SAnews.gov.za
