The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced today that South Africa is conducting “comprehensive investigations” into recent violence targeting Ethiopian nationals. Pretoria has reportedly assured the Ethiopian government that the findings will be shared immediately upon completion of the inquiry.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Berhanu Tsegaye, met with the South African Ambassador to Ethiopia, Nonceba Losi, to discuss the escalating wave of violence and intimidation directed at foreign nationals, with Ethiopians frequently being at the forefront of the attacks.
The statement from MoFA noted that State Minister Berhanu expressed “deep concern” over the violence and “stressed the need to ensure the safety, protection, and wellbeing of Ethiopian nationals living in South Africa.”
The statement further noted that Ambassador Losi responded by stating that the Republic of South Africa condemns the acts of violence. She reportedly reaffirmed that relevant authorities are currently investigating the incidents and pledged that the resulting reports would be shared with the Ethiopian government.
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Despite these assurances, the South African government continues to face criticism for its perceived failure to take decisive, practical action to halt the cycle of violence.
Over the past few weeks, South Africa has experienced a renewed surge in xenophobic activities targeting African migrants. Citizens from Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Ghana have been among the most severely affected. In response, Nigeria and Ghana have already formally summoned South African envoys. Ghana has further petitioned the African Union (AU) for an official fact-finding mission, while Nigeria has begun facilitating the voluntary repatriation of citizens wishing to flee the country.
