Julius Malema Defends Ghanaians, Other Foreigners Amid Xenophobic Tensions In South Africa

• EFF leader Julius Malema condemned anti-immigration protests in South Africa as 'stupid' during a Sky News interview
• Malema alleged that the South African government sponsored the demonstrations to distract citizens from its failures
• The EFF leader rejected claims that foreign nationals from Ghana and Nigeria are responsible for rising crime in South Africa

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has strongly criticised the wave of anti-immigration protests sweeping South Africa, dismissing the demonstrations as the work of corrupt individuals seeking to exploit foreign nationals.

Speaking in an interview with Sky News, Malema described the marches targeting African migrants as both foolish and orchestrated, alleging that the South African government is quietly backing them to shift public attention away from its own shortcomings.

"It is clownish - clownish and stupid. There is no xenophobia in South Africa; it's just a group of charlatans, extortionists, disruptors, corrupt individuals who want to extort foreign nationals."

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Ghana condemns killing of Ghanaian national in South Africa xenophobic attack

"It's not xenophobia; it's gangsterism sponsored by government. The government is fully informed to distract our people from many major issues. How can an ordinary person handle a man in front of the police, because it's a crime on its own."

Malema also pushed back against the argument that the protests reflect legitimate grievances about crime attributed to foreign nationals.

He argued that available data tells a very different story, pointing to South African men as the primary perpetrators of violent crime in the country.

"Who beats up South Africa's children? South African men. Majority of the prisoners there is not Zimbabwe, it's not Ghana, it's not Nigeria, it's not TRC, it's South African men," he said.

"So when you say they are committing crime, why are they not in jail? Because they are not committing any crime, but they become an easy target."

The EFF leader's comments came after marches by anti-illegal immigrant groups after a deadline for illegal immigrants to leave the country by June 30.

Ghanaian in South Africa shot dead

On July 1, Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa confirmed that a Ghanaian was shot dead amid heightened anti-immigration tensions in the country.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his identity as Bashiru Isak, a 40-year-old who was based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

Acting on instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria lodged a formal diplomatic protest with South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation following the incident.

The government in a statement said it is pressing South African authorities for a comprehensive, transparent and expedited investigation into the circumstances surrounding Isak's death.

The government is specifically calling for those behind the killing to be identified, arrested and prosecuted without further delay.

Ghanaian woman attacked in South Africa

On June 3, YEN.com.gh reported that a citizen was hospitalised after being brutally assaulted in South Africa, according to Ghana’s High Commissioner to the country.

The victim was attacked at her shop after she refused to pay money demanded by assailants who had initially posed as officials verifying her legal documents.

Source: YEN.com.gh