Tinubu Calls for AU Action Against Rising Xenophobia in South Africa

In a significant diplomatic move, President Bola Tinubu has brought attention to the troubling surge of xenophobic and Afrophobic violence in South Africa during the African Union's (AU) 21st Extraordinary Session in Luanda. Representing Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima called for immediate collective action and proposed that this pressing issue be included on the agenda for the upcoming January 2027 General Assembly.

The recent wave of anti-immigrant sentiment has starkly revealed the contradictions inherent in South Africa's post-apartheid narrative. As the nation grapples with a crackdown on undocumented immigration, protests and violent mob actions have emerged, targeting African migrants and sparking an outcry across the continent. Reports indicate that Mozambique has suffered the loss of five citizens due to this violence, while numerous other nations, including Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, have witnessed the repatriation of their citizens amid escalating tensions.

Recent statistics paint a grim picture: over 178,000 African immigrants have either fled or been deported from South Africa in recent months. Nigeria alone has evacuated 1,490 citizens by July, with an additional 83 returnees arriving in August. Disturbingly, Nigerian authorities have reported that at least 90 Nigerians have fallen victim to xenophobic attacks in South Africa since 2022, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.

“The distinction between enforcing immigration law and permitting Afrophobic violence must be absolute,” Shettima stated. “A sovereign state has every right to identify, prosecute, and deport undocumented immigrants through due process. However, it cannot allow mobs to act as an unofficial immigration service, terrorizing and killing individuals.”

This statement encapsulates the critical challenge facing African nations as they balance the enforcement of immigration policies with the imperative to protect human rights and ensure the safety of their citizens abroad. The AU's response to this crisis will be closely monitored, as it seeks to uphold the principles of solidarity and cooperation among African states.