South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday used the country’s Freedom Day commemoration to issue a stern rebuke of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, reminding his citizens that Africa stood with them when it mattered most.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Freedom Day national commemoration in Bloemfontein, Ramaphosa drew a direct line between the international solidarity that helped dismantle apartheid and the moral obligation South Africa now owes its continental neighbours.
“We should never allow the legitimate concerns of our communities about illegal migration to breed prejudice towards our fellow Africans,” he said. “We must not allow these concerns to give rise to xenophobia directed towards people from other African countries or any other parts of the world.”
Also Read: Two Nigerians reportedly killed in fresh xenophobic attacks in South Africa
He added: “As a nation that defeated colonialism and apartheid through international solidarity, we carry a responsibility to advance constitutional values beyond our borders.”
The remarks were pointed in their timing. Anti-foreigner protests and violence have been spreading across South Africa in recent weeks, with Nigerians and Ghanaians among the most targeted communities. Two Nigerian nationals have been killed by South African security personnel, and fresh protests are reportedly being planned in Gauteng Province this week raising fears of further bloodshed.
Ramaphosa’s intervention signals growing anxiety within Pretoria over the diplomatic fallout of the unrest. Nigeria’s Federal Government has already issued a formal caution to its citizens in South Africa as the situation deteriorates, and pressure is mounting on Ramaphosa’s administration to move beyond rhetoric and enforce concrete protections for foreign residents on South African soil.
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