A leading public affairs scholar has raised concerns about the effectiveness of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s diplomatic approach to South Africa’s ongoing immigration challenges, arguing that recent policy announcements may have missed a critical window for impact.
Adv. Sipho Mantula, affiliated with the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, acknowledged the strategic merit of engaging African partners on migration but cautioned that the current moment may require more immediate, localized responses alongside continental dialogue.
Ramaphosa recently announced plans to dispatch envoys across Africa and to global partners to reframe migration as a shared continental challenge. The announcement followed a three-day state visit involving discussions with a visiting East African head of state, during which the President emphasized that migration patterns affect the entire region.
Mantula welcomed the intent but questioned whether the timing aligns with pressing domestic concerns. “It might be late,” he observed, noting that the African Union summit in Cairo—where Ghana has signaled it will prioritize migration discussions—and the upcoming SADC summit in August in Dar es Salaam, where South Africa assumes chairmanship, may now serve as more natural platforms for these conversations.
A central point of Mantula’s analysis focused on the need for direct engagement with South African communities affected by immigration pressures. While Ramaphosa highlighted law enforcement measures and continental cooperation, Mantula stressed that “national dialogue and the local dialogue with the concerned South Africans” remained underaddressed. He referenced South Africa’s Ubuntu-based foreign policy—”I am because we are”—as a framework that should balance regional solidarity with domestic accountability.
On operational matters, Mantula noted Ramaphosa’s commitment to relocate refugee reception facilities currently situated in Pretoria and East London to border posts, aligning with practices observed elsewhere on the continent. He pointed out that SADC member states have yet to consistently apply the lesson that such centers function more effectively near points of entry.
The scholar also highlighted institutional gaps, including the prolonged silence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on integration challenges within Southern Africa. He recalled the 2008 xenophobic unrest, which resulted in nearly 62 fatalities, including five South African citizens, underscoring that violence remains a persistent risk requiring proactive, community-centered prevention strategies.
Mantula further questioned the tangible outcomes of a recent SADC foreign ministers’ retreat held in Mpumalanga, particularly regarding implementation of the protocol on free movement of people and goods within the region. He noted that while Ramaphosa condemned attacks against African non-nationals and pledged protective measures, concrete mechanisms for people-to-people engagement remain underdeveloped.
Economic factors also featured prominently in the critique. Mantula observed that while Ramaphosa identified economic growth as a foundational challenge, the recent address offered limited new policy direction beyond statements made approximately two years prior. He argued that sustainable migration management requires coupling diplomatic outreach with measurable domestic economic interventions.
South Africa’s position on the AU Peace and Security Council, Mantula added, creates an opportunity to elevate migration as a human security priority. However, he maintained that continental frameworks must be paired with localized solutions to address the “influx we can’t manage” and the resulting social pressures.
Looking ahead, Mantula suggested that the summits scheduled for 2026 could provide structured opportunities to advance these discussions. “We have to deal with people-to-people engagement,” he concluded, emphasizing that diplomatic channels alone may not suffice without parallel investment in community-level dialogue and practical integration support.