As anti-immigrant sentiments escalate in communities across South Africa, Zane Dangor, Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), has called for an end to the targeting of foreign nationals, reaffirming that immigration matters must be addressed through lawful, constitutional channels—not vigilante action.
Dangor’s comments followed International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola’s presentation of Dirco’s 7 billion rand budget vote in Parliament, during which Lamola underscored the importance of international solidarity and condemned unilateralism, economic coercion, and wars of aggression.
With Africa Day recently observed, Dangor acknowledged the dissonance between South Africa’s celebratory rhetoric on continental unity and the reality of rising xenophobic hostility. “In my engagements with colleagues on the continent and diplomats, there’s an expectation that South Africa should lead—and has been leading—on various norms, not just in Africa but globally,” he said.
He recalled South Africa’s pivotal role two decades ago in hosting the Durban Conference against Racism, which placed xenophobia and related intolerances firmly on the international agenda. Today, South Africa remains the pinholder for an annual resolution on these issues at the United Nations in Geneva—a responsibility rooted in the country’s own history with colonialism, forced migration, and apartheid-era laws like the Bantu systems.
“That history makes what we’re seeing on our streets particularly jarring to our neighbors and to those who expect us to uphold human rights for all,” Dangor noted.
He stressed that enforcement of immigration law falls exclusively to designated state institutions, particularly the Border Management Authority. “What we should not be seeing is people targeted for being migrants,” he said, adding that it is often impossible for ordinary citizens to distinguish between documented and undocumented individuals. He referenced recent incidents in Durban at the DCONIA center, where most people seeking refuge were, in fact, properly documented.
Dangor advocated for renewed national dialogue, echoing community conversations held after the 2008 xenophobic violence. “We need to put our best foot forward,” he said. “We need the responsible agencies to manage migration, but we must also manifest the Constitution—treat everyone in our country with respect, and ensure that those present without legal status are dealt with through due process, not by individuals blocking access to services or public spaces.”
He warned against regressing to apartheid-era practices, such as demanding “dome passes,” which he described as unlawful and tantamount to a crime against humanity. “We don’t want that kind of monitoring on our streets,” he affirmed.
The remarks come during a historically significant month for South Africa. May 25 marked the anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 919, which lifted the arms embargo and remaining sanctions against the country—symbolizing the end of international isolation following the 1994 democratic elections and South Africa’s formal entry into the global community.
When asked whether current tensions risk undermining that hard-won standing, Dangor noted that the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps had postponed official Africa Day celebrations over safety concerns. Yet, in the same communication, diplomatic representatives urged continued respect for South Africa’s longstanding commitment to regional integration and African socioeconomic advancement.
“South Africa moved out of pariah status because apartheid ended, sanctions were lifted, democracy took root, and we adopted a Constitution designed to undo past injustices—including racism, sexism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation or national origin,” Dangor explained. He conceded, however, that progress on poverty and inequality has fallen short of expectations.
Placing South Africa’s challenges in a continental context, Dangor observed that similar outbreaks of xenophobic sentiment have occurred in West Africa, East Africa, and beyond. “History shows that once a society deals with the perceived ‘outsider’ without addressing the root causes of scapegoating, it eventually turns inward—leading to prolonged conflict and deep societal fractures,” he said.
While emphasizing that South Africa remains “far from that point,” Dangor insisted the path forward requires inclusive dialogue and unwavering adherence to constitutional governance. “We’ve always been seen as a norm entrepreneur in the global community,” he concluded. “That role emerges from our struggle history, the legacy of icons like Nelson Mandela, and our Constitution. If fully implemented, it enables us to address legitimate public concerns—fairly, lawfully, and in a manner that upholds our shared humanity.”
