The Majority Chief Whip and MP for South Dayi, Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, has strongly condemned recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, calling them a direct assault on the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
Delivering a statement in Parliament, Hon. Dafeamekpor declared that Ghana cannot remain silent while fellow Africans face hostility and violence on the continent.
He said, “Mr. Speaker, what we are witnessing in parts of South Africa is hostility disguised as patriotism. It is the dangerous normalization of organized violence against African migrants under the pretext of community protection.”
He cited reports of mobs in Durban and KwaZulu-Natal demanding identity documents from foreign nationals, harassing traders, and forcibly closing migrant-owned shops.
He highlighted the case of a Ghanaian resident who was reportedly confronted and told to “fix his own country,” describing the incident as an unacceptable breach of both South African law and African solidarity.
Describing a dangerous collapse between lawful governance and street vigilantism, the MP noted that Africans were being targeted due to economic hardships and physical differences. He stated, “No citizen, private, no ordinary has the legal authority to become an immigration officer onto himself. No mob has the constitutional right to decide who belongs in Africa.”
The Majority Chief Whip urged Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to engage South African authorities through diplomatic channels to guarantee the safety of Ghanaians and other nationals, while calling on South Africa to uphold the rule of law.
He stated, “No African should live in fear in another African state simply because of nationality, accent, or occupation. No mob has the constitutional right to decide who belongs in Africa.”
Hon. Dafeamekpor concluded that Parliament must defend the ideals of the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament, calling for a united continental response to end street vigilantism.
He added, “This is not just about Ghanaians. It is about the soul of Africa. Xenophobia violates every principle of African unity we claim to uphold,” and further stressed that “No African should be hunted in another African state.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
