Between shame and regret, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his country’s remorse regarding the violence and mistreatment inflicted upon migrants in recent weeks. During his closing speech at the 46th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, he called on regional nations to unite their efforts to address migration challenges. “We have also expressed our regrets for what has happened to us as a country,” he stated, while emphasizing the “wish that we all work together to address the challenge of migration.”
On Friday, the South African head of state had already voiced his concerns and shame that “nationals from other countries have been victims of discrimination and mistreatment in recent months.” He noted that South Africans are deeply concerned and ashamed that people from other nations have been mistreated and forced to leave the country under the threat of violence.
Cyril Ramaphosa’s statements come as South Africa has faced weeks of anti-migrant protests. A gathering of approximately 300 people took place on the sidelines of the SADC summit in Durban under tight police surveillance. These protests have led tens of thousands of foreigners to flee the country. According to data compiled by AFP, more than 160,000 people have left South Africa since late May, and at least four migrants have died in the violence, according to South African police.
For the President of the “Rainbow Nation,” criminal acts committed by a few individuals undermine the solidarity upon which the Southern African community is built. “We cannot preach integration at summits and practice exclusion on the streets of our countries,” he declared. He contextualized the migration issue within the history of Southern Africa, reminding attendees that the region has been shaped by population movements for millennia, which have contributed to its diversity, dynamism, and wealth.
Thanking member states for their “solidarity and support” during this crisis, the South African leader acknowledged the complexity of the migration issue and the difficulty of providing an immediate response. He insisted on the necessity for Southern African countries to remain “cohesive” and to “show unity to face this challenge together.”
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-18 16:38:39 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://2424.mg/afrique-australe-cyril-ramaphosa-exprime-ses-regrets-face-a-ce-qui-se-passe-en-afrique-du-sud-et-appelle-a-lunite-face-au-defi-migratoire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=afrique-australe-cyril-ramaphosa-exprime-ses-regrets-face-a-ce-qui-se-passe-en-afrique-du-sud-et-appelle-a-lunite-face-au-defi-migratoire