By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

The Ghanaian government has urged the African Union (AU) to address the xenophobic attacks that are currently happening in South Africa. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has stood firm to say that he is ready to address a variety of migration issues.

The Ghanaian foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa, posted on X on Thursday that he had written to the AU requesting that the xenophobic attacks being experienced by African foreign nationals be addressed at a summit in Egypt from 24-25 June 2026.

He highlighted that the attacks are violating the African Charter on Human and People’s rights which South Africa is a state party. They also ran counter to the spirit of Pan-Africanism as well as other objectives of the African Continental Trade Area, which aims at promoting free movement, reducing barriers and facilitating a market that will benefit all Africans. 

Minister Lamola has expressed shock at the fact that the Ghanaian foreign minister had made such a move, however assuring that South Africa will do its best to bring forth their case.

 “We welcome it because we believe it will also give us that platform to deal with the push and pull factors of irregular migration in the continent, because, as South Africa, we are the net receiver of irregular migration, followed by Ivory Coast and others” said Lamola.

“So there is a need to deal with the root cause, particularly the economic factors that remain important. So we can deal with the issue in a comprehensive manner” said Lamola. 

Lamola also noted that the push factors that have caused their citizens to leave their home countries and migrate to South Africa will also have to be taken into account. The South African government has identified these push factors as political and poor governance from these countries.

Lamola however admitted that the protests and complaints by other countries against South Africa regarding these xenophobic attacks, have hurt their relations with these countries and have damaged South Africa’s reputation. 

“Yeah, it does undermine our foreign policy, particularly our human rights outlook, but you have to deal with it in reality, in its context, because some of these videos that are shared on social media that are creating a narrative and a perception against South Africa are not real, it’s fake news” said Lamola. 

Lamola has also noted that the South African government has investigated and found no evidence for the charge, which had been put to a phone call by Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumgewu-Ojukwu on Monday, which had brought the attention of two Nigerian nationals being murdered by South African security forces. 

Nigeria’s acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, also confirmed that there have been reports of Nigerians having been killed.

 “We have seen the groups that have gone into hospitals to chase people on the basis that they are foreign nationals, not allowing the hospitals themselves to deal with the issue,” said Lamola.

 “They deal with the issue of criminality and law enforcement and all that. So that is where the lapse is. There should be no one who takes the law into their own hands. The police have to address the matter” added Lamola.

Lamola also recalled that President Cyril Ramaphosa had announced the appointment of 10,000 immigration officers, including labour inspectors.