Leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, has criticised growing anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa, describing claims that foreign nationals are responsible for job losses as “a myth” used to divide Africans.
Speaking on recent tensions involving Ghanaians living in South Africa, Mr. Malema questioned arguments that the departure of migrants would automatically create employment opportunities for locals.
“Ghanaians are gone now, 300 of them. How many 300 jobs were created after the Ghanaians left?” he asked.
According to the EFF leader, blaming migrants for unemployment only reinforces divisions created during the colonial era and undermines African unity.
He argued that while many Africans advocate for decolonisation in areas such as education and governance, they continue to defend colonial-era borders that separate African states.
“You can’t say you are against colonialism and support the borders. It is never a consistent language,” he stated.
Mr. Malema also criticised what he described as a rushed response by Ghana to the situation, saying it created the impression that all South Africans supported attacks or intimidation against foreign nationals.
He maintained that the actions were carried out by only a section of society and should have been addressed by law enforcement agencies rather than escalating diplomatic tensions.
Referring to accounts by some Ghanaian nationals, Mr. Malema acknowledged concerns that migrants were allegedly being attacked in the presence of police officers without protection from authorities.
He said such experiences could leave affected persons believing that the state endorsed the actions against them.
The EFF leader called for continued diplomatic engagement between Ghana and South Africa to resolve the matter peacefully.
“We need to pursue diplomatic engagements with Ghana until we find one another,” he said.
Mr. Malema added that dialogue and cooperation, rather than retaliatory responses, were necessary to address tensions involving migrants and host communities.
The comments come amid growing debate in South Africa over immigration, unemployment and the treatment of foreign nationals, particularly African migrants operating businesses or working in local communities.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
