Ghana's Tijaniyya Muslim Movement has accused the South African government of violating binding international human rights law by failing to prevent, investigate and punish rising xenophobic attacks targeting both documented and undocumented migrants.
According to the movement, Pretoria's continued inaction in the face of mob violence, looting of foreign-owned businesses, and intimidation of migrant communities is a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Usman, executive secretary of Ghana's Tijaniya Muslim Movement, said, “South Africa cannot claim to be upholding constitutional democracy and human dignity by allowing non-citizens to be hunted down, attacked and stripped of their livelihoods on the basis of nationality.” modern ghana news.
He stressed that the violence was not simply social frustration but “state-tolerated discrimination” in violation of treaty obligations voluntarily accepted by South Africa.
Alhaji Usman cited Articles 6 and 26 of the ICCPR, which oblige South Africa to protect the right to life and guarantee equal protection of the law to all persons within its territory, regardless of national origin. He argued that selective police inaction and failure to prosecute criminals amounts to a denial of equal protection.
Referring to Article 5 of the ICERD, he said South Africa needed to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure the protection of all persons against violence perpetrated by individuals, groups or institutions. He said, “When people are subjected to violence because they are foreigners, and the state fails to intervene, that is discrimination by omission.”
Under Articles 2 and 4 of the African Charter, every person is entitled to rights and freedoms without discrimination of any kind, including nationality, he said. He argued that xenophobic violence undermines the foundation of African solidarity on which the Charter was built.
Alhaji Usman, who also serves as the Executive Director of the African Social Development and Empowerment Foundation (ASDEF) and a distinguished member of Ghana's National Peace Council, warned that the attacks threaten regional integration, stifle intra-African trade and harm South Africa's position within the African Union.
He described the violence as “a regressive force against the goals of the AU's Agenda 2063 on free movement and people-centred development”, stressing that immigration status does not strip individuals of their human rights. He said the victims include asylum seekers, refugees, long-term residents and economic migrants who contribute significantly to South Africa's informal economy, health care and construction sectors.
The Tijaniyya Muslim Movement urged the international community to move beyond expressions of concern. Alhaji Usman called on the African Union and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to begin monitoring and involve South Africa through peer-review and treaty-body mechanisms. He encouraged South Africa's bilateral partners to raise the issue in diplomatic forums and to link development cooperation to measurable protection outcomes for migrants.
He further called on South African authorities to launch urgent operations to protect migrant communities, prosecute perpetrators and stop rhetoric that scapegoats foreigners for economic challenges. They urged the government to ensure access to justice, compensation and psychosocial support for victims regardless of immigration status.
“The world cannot afford to silently watch another cycle of xenophobic violence,” he warned. “Human rights are not reserved for citizens. They belong to every human being within the jurisdiction of the state. That's the law. That's the promise. And right now, that promise is being broken.”
The Tijaniyya Muslim Movement says it will continue to document violations, support victims, and press for accountability at the regional and international levels until South Africa meets its legal obligations.