Ramaphosa pledges arrests for anti-migrant violence in South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that perpetrators of recent violence targeting African foreign nationals in South Africa will be arrested and charged, while firmly rejecting allegations that the government tolerates xenophobia. Speaking during an oral questions session in Parliament on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the President assured lawmakers that police and security agencies are actively gathering evidence and that several individuals have already been taken into custody.

The commitments came in response to pointed questions from Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema. Malema accused authorities of allowing perpetrators to commit violence against immigrants, sometimes in the presence of police, without consequence. He argued this created the impression the violence was state-sanctioned and named two individuals he said had even met with Ramaphosa, suggesting they should have been arrested on the spot. "The level of violence perpetrated against African foreign nationals in this country over the past few months has a face," Malema stated.

Ramaphosa countered that the issue is being processed systematically. He confirmed that some arrests have been made and that...