Special Envoys Sent to Reassure African Countries of South Africa’s Solidarity

A team of Special Envoys has been dispatched by President Cyril Ramaphosa to several African countries to deliver a message of reassurance in light of the recent attacks on foreign nationals.

“The Special Envoys will deliver a message from President Ramaphosa regarding the incidents of violence that recently erupted in some parts of South Africa which have manifested in attacks on foreign nationals and destruction of property.

“The Special Envoys are tasked with reassuring fellow African countries that South Africa is committed to the ideals of pan-African unity and solidarity. The Special Envoys will also reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law,” said the Presidency on Sunday.

SAPeople alone has received hundreds of messages from citizens around Africa – some filled with hate and threats to the lives of South Africans, some concerned and bewildered and some fact checking (eg. tragic photos of over 60 burnt corpses in Tanzania after a fuel tanker explosion last month were being shared on the continent, claiming to be pictures of foreigners burnt by South Africans).

The Special Envoy team appointed by President Ramaphosa began their assignment on Saturday and departed South Africa to deliver messages of solidarity to several Heads of State and Government across the continent.

The team, comprising of Jeff Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mmabolo and Khulu Mbatha, will visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

The Special Envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account.

Yesterday President Ramaphosa was booed at former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s funeral, although the SA President addressed the crowd’s concerns immediately and the jeers soon turned to cheers. – SAnews.gov.za