South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed regional leaders with a call for joint action to resolve migration issues. This appeal followed weeks of anti-migrant protests that forced over 176,000 people to leave the country.
Ramaphosa spoke before the heads of the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the summit held in Durban on Monday. At the meeting, he identified migration as a serious regional problem. Concluding the summit, Ramaphosa thanked the region's countries for understanding the difficulties South Africa faced and expressed regret over what happened in the country, emphasizing the need for joint work on the migration issue.
This mass exodus occurred after populist groups protested, demanding that undocumented foreigners leave South Africa by June 30th. According to AFP estimates based on data from African governments, over 176,000 people left the country in recent weeks. On Monday, about 300 anti-migrant protesters marched to the summit venue, demanding that regional leaders 'take back their people.'
The demonstration was controlled by police on horseback and motorcycles, while the gathering was observed by helicopters and drones. Protest leader Jacinta Ngobeze-Zuma stated that they came to demand that authorities take away people illegally present in South Africa. She specifically mentioned Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, whose citizens made up the majority of those who left South Africa.
Some migrants left voluntarily, while others were deported or received assistance through state repatriation programs.
Migrant deaths drew condemnation
According to South African police, at least four migrants died during the outbreaks of violence, although some foreign governments reported a higher number of casualties. Ramaphosa publicly stated on Friday that his government feels 'deep concern and shame' over other citizens being discriminated against and mistreated in recent months.
The South African government's appeal for order management drew criticism from other African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, which are not members of SADC. South Africa, which chaired the SADC summit on Monday, initiated an all-African conference on migration.
The South African government believes it is necessary to apply a broader continental approach to address the root causes of migration, improve inter-state cooperation, and prevent the escalation of tensions between host communities and migrants to the level of violence. South Africa has long been a major destination for migrants from across the continent, attracted by its relatively developed economy and employment opportunities.
However, the country also faces unemployment exceeding 30%, deep inequality, and widespread poverty—conditions that have fueled public discontent and increased political pressure regarding immigration. The latest unrest has reignited the discussion on how South Africa and its neighbors can manage migration processes while protecting the rights and safety of migrants.