Cyril Ramaphosa issued a direct warning on xenophobia and illegal migration during his 2026 Freedom Day address in Bloemfontein.
“We should never allow the legitimate concerns of our communities about illegal migration to breed prejudice towards our fellow Africans.”
He stressed that frustrations must not be turned into violence or hatred, adding: “We must not allow these concerns to give rise to xenophobia.”
At the same time, Ramaphosa confirmed a tougher stance from government, saying authorities are “clamping down on illegal migration” and on businesses that employ undocumented workers.
He made it clear that enforcement must remain within the law:
“We will not allow people to take the law into their own hands.”
Invoking history, he reminded South Africans of the continent’s role during apartheid, warning: “It must never be that we trample… the African fellowship that made our freedom possible.”
