South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied allegations of xenophobia against South Africans following renewed diplomatic tensions linked to attacks on foreign nationals in the country.
Ramaphosa made the remarks during a parliamentary session while responding to concerns over recurring violence and hostility directed at immigrants and foreign-owned businesses in parts of South Africa.
“South Africans are not against people from other nations. We are one people. We’re not xenophobic,” the president said in a video clip that surfaced online on Tuesday.
The statement came less than 24 hours after reports emerged that some members of the Nigerian Senate threatened to push for a boycott of South African-owned businesses operating in Nigeria, including telecommunications giant MTN, over persistent attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.
The latest exchange has reignited longstanding concerns about the strained relationship between Africa’s two largest economies, particularly over the treatment of Nigerian citizens living in South Africa.
Over the years, several incidents of violence against foreign nationals — including Nigerians — have triggered diplomatic disputes between both countries, leading to protests, retaliatory threats and calls for stronger protection of migrants.
While Ramaphosa insisted that South Africans are not xenophobic, critics argue that repeated attacks on foreign nationals and looting of migrant-owned businesses continue to fuel perceptions of hostility toward immigrants.
The South African government has repeatedly condemned such attacks, often describing them as criminal acts rather than organised xenophobia. However, rights groups and foreign governments have continued to express concern over recurring violence targeting migrants.
As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official announcement from the Nigerian government regarding any formal economic or diplomatic measures against South African companies operating in the country.
The viral video of Ramaphosa’s comments was shared by AsakyGRN on X, formerly Twitter.
