South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the spread of misinformation and fake news on social media amid rising anti-immigration tensions in the country.
Speaking in Pretoria, Ramaphosa warned against campaigns that target migrants and fuel divisions within society. He stressed that South Africans should not be misled by false narratives about foreign nationals living in the country.
“We will not be fooled or influenced by social media campaigns that spread misinformation, fake news and lies about people who are in our country” – Ramaphosa said.
His comments come as anti-migrant tensions have escalated into violence in parts of South Africa. Reports indicate that two Mozambican nationals have been killed, while hundreds of people have fled their communities fearing further attacks.
The unrest intensified after a citizen-led group campaigning against irregular migration issued an ultimatum last month ordering undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country by June 30.
Authorities have urged calm and warned against taking the law into private hands, as concerns grow over the safety of migrants and the potential for further violence.
Anti-migrant violence in the South African coastal town of Mossel Bay has left two Mozambicans dead, displaced hundreds of residents and destroyed at least 55 homes. The unrest erupted after a protest against foreign nationals accused of taking local jobs, with abandoned homes reportedly looted, burned and taken over by locals in the days following the attacks.