As members of our global community of nations, we must take serious cognisance of the recurring racial violence and discrimination manifested against African nationals in South Africa.
The anti-immigrant protesters leading these movements have openly defied international law by trampling on the freedoms of innocent African migrants.
To develop and prosper, human beings must be able to look to the State for security, protection, and the rule of law.
The current civilian-led hostility demanding the exit of African nationals is a blatant violation of international human rights that threatens to jeopardise critical bilateral relations across the continent.
The United Nations Charter clearly states that the organisation exists to maintain international peace, develop friendly relations among nations, and promote human rights. It is an umbrella under which all states seek shelter.
Yet, the actions of certain groups in South Africa actively discourage African nationals from the full exercise of their human spirit, suppressing their inventive, creative, and moral capacities.
Crucially, the anti-immigrant protesters are not immigration officers.
They hold no legal authority to check documents or enforce border control. Legitimate applications for work permits, extensions, or naturalisation fall strictly under the jurisdiction of official South African immigration authorities.
If citizens have genuine grievances, civilised order dictates that they present petitions directly to their President or international bodies, rather than resorting to mob violence.
In reality, this anti-immigrant movement is driven by an antiseptic euphemism for crime.
It is a barbaric, old Stone Age way of doing things that South Africa must abandon.
The almost perfect harmony that once existed between African states under the umbrella of the African Union has been violently assaulted by these racial hostilities.
Perpetuated by individuals seeking to satisfy selfish motivations instead of the broader interests of the African Union and the United Nations, these actions arouse a deep sense of disappointment and apprehension among observers worldwide.
The sacred interests of the AU and the UN must remain supreme.
Tragically, these events remind us that racism, xenophobia, and related intolerances have not gone away—even in a land that historically experienced institutionalised racial discrimination on a massive scale.
The very people who should deeply understand and recognise the trauma of discrimination are the ones now perpetuating violence against their fellow Africans.
Today, the stay of African nationals in South Africa is rooted in fear—the fear of what is different, and the fear of a total loss of personal security.
Once upon a time, South Africans believed that we all constituted one human family.
This profound truth has been shattered by jealousy and unprovoked hatred.
We must collectively call on the United Nations Secretary-General to intervene and hold South Africa accountable to the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The writer is the Initiator, International Forum on the Status of Refugees in the World/
Convener, Kofi Annan Memorial Lecture/
Snr Lecturer, Russian Section, University of Ghana.
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