By Adonis Byemelwa
Professor PLO Lumumba intensified his criticism of xenophobic attacks in South Africa during an interview with a Kenyan radio station, warning that violence against African migrants threatens not only lives and livelihoods but also the broader dream of African integration.
He questioned how the continent could speak of free movement, regional cooperation and a shared African future while fellow Africans are targeted because of their nationality.
Lumumba argued that such attacks undermine the very ideals that inspired Pan-Africanism and weaken Africa’s collective standing in the world.
The Kenyan scholar warned that the consequences extend beyond migrant communities, potentially damaging tourism, investment and confidence in South Africa as a destination for business and education.
He maintained that migrants from countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and elsewhere contribute to the economy through entrepreneurship, job creation and commerce, rather than simply competing for scarce opportunities.
Describing South Africa as the continent’s anchor economy, Lumumba called for leadership that addresses economic frustrations without turning fellow Africans into scapegoats.
Lumumba also condemned the looting of migrant-owned businesses and rejected attempts to justify violence through economic grievances. He noted that his open letter generated both support and hostility, with some South Africans apologising and others expressing anger.
However, he remained firm that Africa’s future depends on cooperation rather than division, warning that societies that normalise exclusion often discover that today’s target can become tomorrow’s victim.
His message was that the continent must choose between fear and solidarity, between narrow nationalism and the promise of a truly integrated Africa.
In a strongly worded open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa dated May 6, Lumumba accused South Africa of drifting toward a perilous climate in which fear, prejudice and identity-based suspicion are increasingly supplanting the rule of law.
“I write to you not merely as a concerned African, but as one who believes deeply in the promise of our continent and in the responsibility that rests upon its leadership,” Lumumba wrote in the three-page letter.
His intervention comes amid renewed reports of protests, violent confrontations, looting of migrant-owned businesses and the harassment of foreign nationals in Johannesburg, Pretoria and other urban centres.
According to Lumumba, the unrest has generated widespread anxiety among African migrant communities, including those residing legally in the country.
The former head of Kenya’s Anti-Corruption Commission cited reports indicating that at least 130 Nigerian nationals have formally requested repatriation, citing growing fears for their safety as tensions continue to mount.
For Lumumba, the issue extends beyond public order. It strikes at the heart of South Africa’s constitutional values and its historic role as a symbol of liberation on the African continent.
“Such occurrences reveal a dangerous trajectory, one in which identity becomes a trigger for violence, and suspicion replaces law,” he warned.
He reminded South Africans that the solidarity, sacrifices and diplomatic support of fellow African nations sustained their struggle against apartheid. That history, he argued, places a moral obligation on the country to protect Africans seeking opportunity and refuge within its borders.
“Xenophobia, in whatever form it manifests, represents a repudiation of that shared history,” Lumumba wrote. “It undermines the ideals of Pan-Africanism. It erodes the principle of African unity.”
He urged Ramaphosa’s administration to move decisively, calling for stronger protections for all residents regardless of nationality, swift prosecution of perpetrators and a renewed public campaign against discrimination and intolerance.
Lumumba argued that the recurring waves of anti-foreigner violence reveal deeper societal and political failures that cannot be addressed through routine policing alone.
“Where impunity is perceived, it breeds repetition; where accountability is delayed, it weakens confidence; and where leadership is hesitant, it creates space for forces that threaten both order and justice,” he said.
His sharpest criticism, however, was reserved for what he described as a glaring contradiction in South Africa’s foreign and domestic posture.
For years, Pretoria has emerged as one of the most vocal international defenders of Palestinian rights, drawing global attention for its advocacy on Gaza.
Nevertheless, Lumumba questioned how a nation that speaks so forcefully against injustice abroad can remain associated with hostility toward fellow Africans at home.
“It cannot be right that the Republic of South Africa stands up for Palestinians in Gaza and yet they are seen to be persecuting their own kith and kin from other African countries,” he said.
The letter was also copied to African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, underscoring Lumumba’s appeal for a continent-wide reckoning with a problem he says threatens both Africa’s unity and South Africa’s standing as a moral voice on the world stage.
As tensions persist, Lumumba’s message is clear: a nation forged through solidarity cannot afford to turn its back on the very principles that once secured its freedom.
