Ramaphosa made the remarks during an address aired on SABC News on Freedom Day, against the backdrop of renewed anti-foreigner tensions in parts of the country.
“To those who are here legally, respect us as South Africans, respect our laws, respect our conventions and our traditions, as you would want us to respect the laws and traditions of your own country,” he said.
The President stressed that while South Africa remains committed to global cooperation and human rights, it would not hesitate to enforce its immigration laws. He urged citizens to trust the law in the case of illegal immigrants.
“So we then therefore say, yes, let us allow our laws to take their course. We have already set in place the way in which we will be able to deal with those who are in our country illegally. We remain committed to multilateralism, to respect for international law and principled diplomacy,” Ramaphosa stated.
Ramaphosa further emphasised the role of international law in maintaining global order.
“International law was born from the devastation of global conflict. It is a shield for all countries in the world, regardless of their size or influence,” he said.
He added, “True multilateralism demands respect for diversity while remaining firm in the core principles of sovereignty, of human rights, of freedom, of accountability and peaceful coexistence.”
His comments come amid recent protests and reported attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, including Durban, Cape Town, East London, and areas in KwaZulu-Natal, where incidents of looting and violence have been reported.
However, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, has sought to calm fears, insisting that Nigerians are not currently under coordinated attack.
“Right now Nigerians are not under siege in South Africa. The situation is currently under control. The governments are working on it,” Ajayi said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme.
He described the incidents as limited in scope, urging Nigerians to exercise caution rather than panic.
Ajayi added that authorities in both countries are collaborating to ensure safety.
Reacting to viral videos allegedly showing foreigners being harassed or denied access to buildings, Ajayi dismissed the actions as unrepresentative.
“Those people you are seeing don’t represent the entire South African community. They are just people acting on their paymasters,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has issued safety advisories to Nigerians living in South Africa, urging them to remain law-abiding and avoid confrontations.
In a statement, the commission advised Nigerians to “avoid confrontation with protesters, refrain from engaging with demonstration groups, and monitor local media for real-time safety updates.”
It also warned that protests in cities such as East London, Cape Town, Durban, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal had, in some instances, turned violent, resulting in looting and property damage.
The commission further urged Nigerian business owners to take precautionary measures.
NiDCOM noted that the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg remains operational and is working with South African authorities to ensure the safety of citizens.
The commission also disclosed that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is engaging with her South African counterpart over the situation