Pretoria – The Presidency has pushed back on attempts to isolate South Africa over recent anti-immigrant protests that culminated in the voluntary repatriation of thousands of “undocumented” foreign nationals.
Many others, mostly from Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, have been deported for being in the country illegally.
“Over the last two months, we have observed a sustained campaign that seeks to isolate South Africa from the rest of the African continent, under the guise of protesting against the recent wave of anti-illegal migration protests that we have recently experienced here in South Africa,” said Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Magwenya made his remarks on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, in response to a question from a reporter, who pointed out that Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has warned that South Africa was “risking isolation”.
Responding without naming the ambassador, Magwenya said: “This campaign has sought to create an impression that South Africa is now a pariah state, which must be referred to international courts.
“This is despite numerous official government communications condemning acts of vigilantism against foreign nationals, asserting the state’s primary role to enforce immigration laws and the commitment to the supremacy of our constitution.
“More concerning has been the peddling of false information by a diplomatic representative of a country that has become central to this campaign.”
Magwenya stated that even ordinary diplomatic exchanges over meetings have been deliberately misrepresented to create an impression that South Africa was being isolated.
“As the Presidency, we firmly reject and caution against the peddling of false information against South Africa, and we further assert that any campaign that seeks to misrepresent what South Africa is and represents will be rejected with the utmost contempt that it deserves,” Magwenya said.
“Recent evidence shows that this false campaign, concerning as it is, is faltering.
“South Africa is not isolated.
“On the contrary, South Africa remains firmly engaged with our African continent and the rest of the world.”
The spokesperson said just last week, on 10 July, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation of Ministers and senior government officials were warmly received by the President of the French Republic, His Excellency, Emmanuel Macron.
The engagement affirmed France as a key strategic partner for South Africa, with both countries enjoying a longstanding bilateral cooperation spanning trade and investment, energy, defence, education, people-to-people exchanges and other fields.
The leaders also took the opportunity to exchange views on global developments of mutual interest, as well as to review progress in advancing bilateral priorities.
Earlier on the same day, President Ramaphosa co-chaired the Leaders Group meeting of the High-Level Steering Committee on Education alongside the Director-General of UNESCO; and attended the Transforming Education Summit +4.
“The engagements were productive and outcomes-oriented; and South Africa was honoured to be part of shaping the future of global education that really is the bedrock upon which the entire Agenda 2030 rests,” Magwenya said.
“This demonstrates a South Africa and a President that is fully engaged with contributing towards a better Africa and a better world.”
Since the beginning of this year to date, President Ramaphosa has engaged with various leaders on the African continent, either through bilateral meetings, telephone calls, Bi-National Commissions or chairing extraordinary summits of SADC, as the current chair of our regional body.
These leaders include the President of Botswana, the Heads of State of the Southern African Customs Union, which is currently being chaired by South Africa, hosting President Ruto of Kenya on a state visit, and discussing issues of migration with the Presidents of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
President Ramaphosa recently undertook a working visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, as a show of solidarity with the government and the people of the DRC, during a challenging time facing the country as it battles the Ebola pandemic.
South Africa has pledged a considerable financial contribution to the fight against Ebola.
President Ramaphosa and other senior government officials remain directly engaged with the Africa CDC in ensuring that the continent prevails in defeating Ebola.
“This is a South Africa that is engaged with the African continent, and that can never be isolated,” Magwenya stated.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola recently visited South Sudan, where he represented South Africa in the Committee of Five of the African Union, which is chaired by President Ramaphosa.
The C5 is responsible for overseeing the process of the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement in South Sudan.
“The Minister has reported to the President that he left South Sudan with renewed hope that peace will prevail,” said Magwenya.
“And that a process of inclusive national dialogue involving all the signatories to the revitalised agreement will be undertaken.”
Minister Lamola was further given a guarantee that all the processes that will ensue from now onwards will remain credible and inclusive of all parties that will participate in this process.
“For South Africa, it remains vital that the elections in South Sudan are inclusive, transparent and fair, and that the security environment is conducive to conducting free and fair elections,” said Magwenya.
“President Ramaphosa convened the C5 Summit in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the AU summit earlier this year in February.
“Once again, we assert that South Africa is not isolated and can never be isolated from the rest of the African continent.“
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