South Africa Rejects AU Debate on Xenophobic Attacks

The Government of South Africa has rejected a petition from Ghana to include a debate on xenophobic attacks against African nationals at the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Summit in Egypt. This diplomatic rift follows a surge of violent protests in cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban, where mobs targeted migrants from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, looting shops and beating residents over claims that undocumented foreigners are taking local jobs.

Ghanaian Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa formally requested the AU to conduct a fact-finding mission and monitor human rights obligations, citing deaths and business destruction. While South African officials initially expressed willingness to cooperate and provide factual reports, the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation later described the petition as regrettable, asserting that the state had already contained the situation. The government denied reports that the South African National Defence Force killed two Nigerians, citing a lack of credible evidence.

The crisis triggered severe regional reactions. President Duma Boko of Botswana declared a state of emergency, closing borders and cutting electricity to several South African provinces. Tanzania threatened to suspend trade and deport South Africans, while Nigeria and Ghana began repatriating their citizens. In response to the unrest, South Africa announced a review of its immigration policy framework and the planned implementation of a points-based visa system to manage migration and address unemployment pressures.