President Cyril Ramaphosa condemns KZN violence targeting foreign nationals

President Cyril Ramaphosa in his element while on the campaign trail in KwaZulu-Natal. He has condemned attacks on foreign nationals, warning that those involved would be arrested as the government works to restore stability.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that the government will not tolerate attacks on foreign nationals, saying those involved in illegal activities will be arrested as authorities move to restore stability in KwaZulu-Natal.

During the ANC’s door-to-door campaign in KZN, Ramaphosa said he had received a report from Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who leads the inter-ministerial committee, and generals heading the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) on efforts to maintain stability in eThekwini, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

He said the army had been deployed to support police amid incidents targeting foreign nationals.

“One of the reasons why we brought the army here is to come and support the police, particularly as we have to deal with instilling stability here,” Ramaphosa said.

The deployment follows anti-immigration protests and incidents of violence in Durban. The unrest has been linked to misinformation surrounding a Constitutional Court judgment on the Refugee Act. The government has deployed 510 South African National Defence Force members to KwaZulu-Natal under Operation Prosper until November 30.

Ramaphosa said the government had put forward a programme to address immigration and urged South Africans not to be drawn into illegal actions against foreign nationals.

He said the state was the only authority empowered to deal with illegal immigration and warned against individuals taking over the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies.

“We as government have said we are the only authority that has the power, the ability to deal with illegal immigration and no one else in our country should be taking over the jobs of the police or state authority,” he said, adding that the government’s approach to immigration had been accepted by the majority of South Africans as the best way forward.

Ramaphosa called on residents to avoid being drawn into actions targeting foreign nationals.

The president said the government would not tolerate unlawful acts, regardless of whether they were directed at South Africans or foreign nationals.

“All these people have rights. And all of us as South Africans have rights. Human rights as much as those from other nations,” he said, adding that those involved in illegal activities were being arrested and would continue to face arrest.

Ramaphosa urged South Africans to respect the rights of others and allow the police and state authorities to enforce the law.

“And we then call on South Africans that we must desist from taking the law into our own hands,” he said.