Writing in his weekly newsletter, the president decried criminality directed at foreigners in South Africa, saying these “do not represent the views of South Africa’s people nor reflect our government’s policy”.

He condemned incitement that played on legitimate grievances but said that some of the resultant actions – such as preventing access to health facilities – were functions reserved for the state. “Such lawlessness will not be tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrators or victims are,” he wrote, although these protests seem to have taken place with relative impunity.

The president, however, added: “At the same time, as a society, we need to deal decisively – and within the law – with the challenge of illegal immigration, which risks our social stability, governance, and national security. Undocumented migration places strain on healthcare, housing, and municipal services, particularly in poor communities. It distorts the labour market. In a country with high unemployment, some employers are exploiting undocumented, cheaper foreign labour over hiring citizens and paying them legal wages [sic]. Not only is this fuelling social tension, it is actively undermining our labour protection regime and eroding the hard-won rights of workers.”

In this, Ramaphosa repeated many of the talking points raised by anti-immigration activists.

He went on to list the interventions being undertaken by the state to combat unlawful migration. These included enhanced scrutiny of the border by the Border Management Authority (BMA) and the South African National Defence Force. The BMA had intercepted some 450 000 people attempting to enter the country illegally in the past year.

He referred, too, to workplace inspections, and the recently announced appointment of 10 000 new labour inspectors. (Although it bears noting that while these may be checking the immigration and citizenship status of employees, they will also be tasked with ensuring compliance with onerous new regulatory demands.)

“In tackling illegal migration, we are balancing our constitutional and international obligations with safeguarding national security,” Ramaphosa said.

Turning to a theme that has dominated his public messaging since he took office, he said that this is not solely a governmental responsibility, but a “society-wide challenge”, to which all South Africans needed to respond.

He also expressed determination to maintain South Africa’s global and continental reputation, saying that the country has a strong framework to protect refugees, and that they are “not confined to camps, as happens in some other countries”.

“South Africa is not unique in confronting the pressures associated with undocumented migration. Many countries across the world, including in Africa, are themselves grappling with similar tensions. This calls for co-operation and understanding between countries on the continent and further afield,” he added.

Xenophobic sentiment and activism have been on the rise for decades, as The Common Sense has previously remarked. Attention to it as a political issue has been growing in recent years, with increasingly organised civic movements committed to expelling foreigners, and a number of parties making opposition to illegal migration central to their electoral offerings (these commitments were largely absent in the 1990s and early 2000s). That the issue is now registering with the president is an indication of the prominence of the issue and the concern with which large constituencies take it.

However, it is important to note that xenophobia tends to rise in line with economic stress. In the early years following South Africa’s transition, relatively robust growth and service delivery would have lowered temperatures on such matters. As South Africa’s economy has stagnated, the perception of conflict with foreigners over resources has become more acute.