Ramaphosa Condemns Migrant Scapegoating Amid Violent Xenophobic Attacks

President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the scapegoating of migrants for South Africa's economic failures during Youth Day commemorations on June 16, 2026. He dismissed a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country, a date promoted by the opposition party ActionSA and the pressure group March and March. Ramaphosa argued that high youth unemployment and poor service delivery are domestic issues, warning that attempts to destabilize the country through vigilante action would not be tolerated.

Despite the president's rhetoric, violent xenophobic attacks including door-to-door raids with machetes have forced thousands of migrants to seek refuge. In Durban, over 10,000 Malawian nationals camped at Sherwood Hall and in open fields, where clashes subsequently erupted between police and migrants. To manage the crisis, Ramaphosa introduced a five-point strategy including Operation New Broom to demolish informal shops in Johannesburg and a goal to arrest 40,000 undocumented immigrants this year.

Labor federations, led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions, urged workers to ignore the June 30 ultimatum and report for duty. Meanwhile, the governments of Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, and Mozambique have launched emergency repatriation programs. Zimbabwe has already repatriated 660 citizens, providing duty concessions for their belongings, while Malawi continues to organize the return of approximately 10,000 nationals amid severe logistical and financial strain.