Malema turns the heat on Ramaphosa over anti-foreigner violence — ‘You should have locked them up’

Ramaphosa

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that people responsible for violence against foreign nationals will be arrested and prosecuted, after EFF leader Julius Malema accused the government of failing to act against those driving anti-immigration protests.

The confrontation took place in the National Assembly on Tuesday, where Malema questioned Ramaphosa over the government’s response to a wave of anti-immigration marches and incidents of violence targeting African migrants.

Malema said the perpetrators and instigators of the violence were known and accused authorities of failing to act against them.

“The level of violence perpetrated against African foreign nationals in this country over the past few months has a face. We know who the instigators and the perpetrators of this violent act are.

“In certain instances, we have seen perpetrators unleashing their violence against African immigrants in the presence of the police, and yet none of these perpetrators and instigators is arrested… This gives an impression that this violence is in fact a state santioned violene against African nations, Malema said.

Ramaphosa said authorities were pursuing those responsible for the unrest but could not provide a timeline for arrests.

He said some perpetrators had already been arrested and that further arrests would follow once police had gathered sufficient evidence.

“Those who have perpetrated those acts will be followed up, there will be arrests, and there will be charges preferred against those who have done so,” Ramaphosa said.

He said law enforcement and the prosecuting authority were responsible for ensuring that people involved in criminal activity were brought to book.

Malema, however, pressed the president over what he described as government inaction against prominent figures associated with the anti-foreigner campaign.

He argued that authorities knew who was behind the protests and questioned why they had not already been arrested.

“What is worse, two of them came to meet with you. You should have locked them up the day when they came to meet you!” Malema told Ramaphosa.

Malema also accused the government of allowing perpetrators to act in the presence of police without being arrested, saying this created the impression that violence against African nationals was state-sanctioned.

Ramaphosa rejected any suggestion that the government condoned xenophobia and said those responsible for attacks on foreign nationals would face consequences.

“The commitment I can make is that those who are perpetrating and have perpetrated acts of violence against foreign nationals are going to be dealt with,” Ramaphosa said.

He said police were particularly interested in people who had been seen leading or organising the violent activities.

“And of course those others who were seen to be leading these processes are also people who are of direct interest to the police,” Ramaphosa said.

The president also warned that the issue was being closely watched by other African countries, amid concerns that anti-foreigner violence could damage South Africa’s relations across the continent.

Ramaphosa said African leaders understood the complexity of migration and claimed some had suggested that external forces could be contributing to anti-African sentiment and violence in South Africa.

Growing pressure

He said South Africa remained committed to working with other African countries to address the underlying causes of migration, including economic hardship, insecurity and poor governance.

“South Africa remains a respected member of the African community of nations and a principled pan-African actor,” Ramaphosa said.

The president said the government had rejected “xenophobia, Afrophobia, vigilantism and all forms of discrimination” against people from other countries and had been engaging African leaders to explain South Africa’s position.

The exchange comes after months of anti-immigration protests, some of which have turned violent, amid growing tensions over undocumented migration.

Malema has argued that the government’s failure to prosecute those driving the campaign risks creating the impression that violence against foreign nationals is tolerated by the state.

Ramaphosa maintained that South Africa’s response would be based on evidence and due process, while promising that those responsible for violence would face the law.

The president’s assurances come as the government faces growing pressure to balance concerns over undocumented immigration with its constitutional obligations to protect foreign nationals and maintain South Africa’s diplomatic relationships across Africa.

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