African News
South Africa begin review immigration policy afta Ghana petition to Africa Union on 'xenophobic attacks' against African migrants for di kontri
BBC Pidgin
7 May 2026
9 mins read
South Africa govment don begin review dia immigration policy to address di mata of illegal migration plus allegations of xenophobic attacks on black foreigners.
Di govment announce dis informate as response to Ghana request for di African Union to chook mouth for di waves of attacks on foreigners, wey dem describe as xenophobia.
South Africa Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola for statement on Friday, 8 May tok say dem find Ghana decision to escalate concerns about irregular migration to di African Union “regrettable”.
Di Southern Africa govment add say: “If AU deem am appropriate to place di mata on di agenda, dem go also propose one agenda item on di push and pull factors of migration, wey include good governance, rule of law, and democracy, in accordance wit di Constitutive Act of di AU.”
Earlier, Ghana Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa bin write to di AU say make dem include di mata of xenophobic attacks for South Africa inside dia agenda for di eight mid-year coordination meeting of di African Union wey go happun from 24 – 27 June 2026.
Inside one statement, di minister say “di topic of xenophobic attacks for South Africa be mata of concern wey lead to loss of lives and properties in recent years.”
For di statement, di minister say since di tori of acts of intimidations and confrontations against citizens of oda African kontris wey dey live for di kontri begin spread, President Cyril Ramaphosa don condemn am, and im don get serious tok-tok wit di authorities of different African kontris to assure dem say di mata dey receive relevant attention from di govment.
“Minister Lamola don engage wit di govment of Ghana and Nigeria and don reaffirm South Africa commitment to protect di rights of nationals, residents and visitors, in line wit di rule of law, and to strengthen bilateral cooperation.”
Di Minister of International Relations also say di Southern African kontri don develop one White Paper on Migration to address dia migration problem.
E explain say through di White Paper, di kontri go align wit international best practices.
Di South Africa govment claim say di kontri na home to approximately three million migrants, and 90 percent of dem na from African continent, wey make South Africa di largest host of African immigrants for di world.
Di minister also clear am say sake of big heart wey dem take dey receive foreigners for di kontri, e don put pressure on some of dia infrastructures and cause economic anxieties around unemployment, and service delivery, wey contribute to period tensions between some locals and foreign nationals most of whom lack legal immigration status, wey don lead to tension.
We no get refugees camps for asylum seekers as e dey for oda kontris, e add.
To address dis migration challenges, Minister Lamola tok say di govment dey in di process of improving di state capacity to manage immigration through a number of interventions.
Dis interventions include:
- Economic Protection: Just like Ghana GIPC Act reserve certain sectors for dia own citizens, South Africa don introduce points-based visa system to ensure migration support national development.
- Compliance and Sovereignty: Di Intelligent Population Register go guarantee say entry dey legal, documented, and merit-based, safeguarding both dignity and national security.
- Shared Responsibility: By adopting di “First Safe Country” principle, South Africa don call for regional system of refugee protection wia compassion dey matched by administrative capacity, wey go ensure say dignity dey for dose wey dey in need witout overwhelming any single state.
- Border Management Authority: Since April 2023, di Border Management Authority (BMA) don deport 500,000 pipo.
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