Lamola urges AU migration debate to focus on root causes, not finger‑pointing at South Africa

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said Ghana’s call for an African Union discussion on migration-related violence in South Africa should focus on the continent’s migration challenges and their root causes, rather than amounting to “finger‑pointing” at South Africa.

Call for a broader, constructive discussion

Speaking at an inter-ministerial committee media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, Lamola said the proposed AU debate “should not be a debate of finger-pointing and cheap political scoring against South Africa because it will not be helpful.” He said the conversation “should be a constructive engagement on migration.”

Root causes named

Lamola listed several factors that he said should be central to any continental discussion on migration: economic challenges, lack of economic growth, unemployment, governance failures, peace and security concerns, and climate change. He said these are the issues that lead people to leave their own countries.

Diplomatic engagement with Ghana

Lamola said he travelled to Accra as a special envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa and was received by Ghanaian President John Mahama and Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. He said the meeting “reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between South Africa and Ghana” and that both countries agreed the matter would not affect bilateral relations.

Ghana’s concerns and South Africa’s response

Lamola said Ghana recognised that “South Africa is a sovereign country, has a right to enforce its immigration laws, just like Ghana has the right to enforce its own immigration laws.” He said Ghana’s concerns focused on allegations of violence during protests and “what it viewed as a lack of accountability for individuals involved in criminal activities.”

The minister noted allegations involving private individuals and groups, including incidents where people allegedly impersonated police officers and immigration officials. He said South Africa had taken action, adding: “We did respond that the South African government has acted, there have been arrests of those who are impersonating police officers, and those that have been involved in looting, housebreaking and so forth during this protest.”

Investigations under way

Lamola said investigations into the deaths of Ghanaian nationals in South Africa were ongoing, including “the killing of a Ghanaian national in Nyanga.” He described that probe as “an active investigation by the South African police.”

Migration policy context

The minister pointed to existing continental and regional frameworks, saying the migration policies adopted by the AU and SADC “don’t call for disorderly, irregular and illegal migration. So migration must be orderly, must be regular, and must be legal.”

Lamola said South Africa remained willing to engage with continental bodies, including an AU process, and “welcome[d] any discussion that will be comprehensive on migration, to deal with all issues, including the root causes of illegal migration.”