PRETORIA — The South African Presidency has issued a firm rebuttal against circulating immigration misinformation following a recent global statement regarding the deaths of foreign nationals. The government’s clarification comes directly in response to claims made by the World Health Organization about renewed violence targeting immigrants within the country’s borders.
The controversy was sparked after WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus publicly condemned a resurgence of violence aimed at immigrants, which reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities. According to initial reports, the casualties included at least five Ethiopian citizens, alongside five Mozambican citizens who lost their lives in Mossel Bay.
Addressing the situation in an official communiqué released on Monday, the government announced that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation will directly liaise with the global health body. The primary objective of these discussions is to verify the data currently held by the WHO and to comprehensively explain the state’s ongoing interventions regarding this complex socio-political issue.
Officials specifically contested the global health body’s narrative surrounding the fatalities of the Ethiopian citizens, labeling the WHO’s characterization as factually inaccurate. The administration clarified that the circumstances surrounding these specific deaths are tied to organized crime syndicates rather than xenophobic violence. This angle has been previously disclosed to the public and is currently the focus of rigorous probes by law enforcement authorities.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that the investigations into the tragic deaths of the Mozambican victims in Mossel Bay remain actively underway.
Reaffirming the rule of law, the government emphasized that President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, maintains a strict and clear position: the enforcement of national laws is exclusively reserved for properly mandated and authorized police officers.
Concluding the statement, the government expressed profound sorrow over the recent tragedies, emphasizing the principle that one life lost is one too many. Official condolences were extended to the grieving families and communities impacted by the violence.
