President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned South Africans not to let worries overwhelm them illegal immigration Promote prejudice and hatred towards other African citizens.
Ramaphosa was delivering his Independence Day address at the Dr Rantlai Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein.
His comments come after a wave Protest against illegal aliens in parts of the country, some of which turned violent.
He acknowledged that South Africa and many other countries have concerns about illegal immigration, but warned against allowing those concerns to give rise to hatred towards people from other African countries.
Ramaphosa said, “We must never allow the legitimate concerns of our communities about illegal migration to breed prejudice and hatred towards our fellow Africans.”
“We must not allow these concerns to give rise to xenophobia towards people from other African countries or any other part of the world. We are South Africans. We cannot be motivated by hatred towards others.”
Ramaphosa called for Ubuntu, highlighting the support given by African countries to South Africa during apartheid.
“He gave us support and compassion, and we cannot be motivated by hatred toward him.
“We did not walk alone on the path to freedom. There was a tide of solidarity from many countries beyond Africa. These countries opened their borders to our liberation fighters. They shared their bread and their homes. They spoke for us when we could not speak for ourselves. The leaders and people of Africa kept our struggle alive.”
The President called on South Africans to let the law take its course in curbing illegal migration, highlighting the steps the government is taking to tackle the issue.
“Let us let our laws take their course. We have already decided the way we will deal with those who are in our country illegally.
“We are cracking down on illegal immigration and businesses that violate our laws by hiring undocumented individuals at the expense of our citizens. We are actively rooting out corruption in our immigration system. We will not allow people to take the law into their own hands.”
Ramaphosa urged those who are in South Africa legally to respect the people of South Africa, their laws and their traditions.
“We extend hospitality to those who are guests in our country, with the expectation that that generosity is honored with respect for our society and its laws. As a nation that defeated colonialism and apartheid through international solidarity, we bear the responsibility to advance constitutional values beyond our borders. We are committed to multilateralism, respect for international law, and principled diplomacy.”
Times Live