South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged decisive action against individuals and groups accused of fuelling xenophobic violence, as anti-immigrant protests continue to draw international condemnation and strain relations with several African countries.

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said his administration would move against those exploiting public concerns over illegal immigration to advance political, personal, or criminal interests.

“We will act against forces who are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal and criminal agendas,” the president stated.

He warned that while concerns about illegal immigration may be legitimate, they should not be used as a pretext to incite violence or undermine public order.

“We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence,” he added.

The unrest has prompted several African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, and Mozambique, to begin repatriating citizens affected by the violence. Mozambique reported that at least five of its nationals were killed during the attacks.

Ramaphosa also cautioned South Africans against taking immigration enforcement into their own hands, stressing that the responsibility rests solely with state authorities.

Xenophobic attacks have remained a recurring challenge in South Africa, where migrants are frequently blamed for social and economic problems such as unemployment and crime. However, migrant rights advocates argue that such claims are often exaggerated and exploited by populist political actors.

The president acknowledged that migrants were increasingly becoming scapegoats for deeper structural issues linked to poverty and unemployment.

To address migration-related concerns, Ramaphosa said the government was strengthening immigration enforcement, reviewing existing legislation, and collaborating with neighbouring countries to tackle the root causes of irregular migration.

He also announced plans to establish specialised courts to fast-track immigration-related cases and accelerate the transition from South Africa’s paper-based “green book” identity documents to more secure biometric digital identity cards.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions have continued to rise. Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, disclosed that his country had petitioned the African Union over the treatment of Ghanaians living in South Africa.

According to Ablakwa, Ghana is also compiling an inventory of properties and assets lost by its citizens during the attacks, which could form the basis of future legal action.