President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a special envoy led by former Energy minister Jeff Radebe to brief other African countries on the steps his government has taken to combat acts of xenophobia in the country.
The special envoy begun their assignment on Saturday and had departed to deliver messages in solidarity with several heads of state and government across the continent.
Presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said the special envoy team, comprising of Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo and Dr. Khulu Mbatha, would visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
“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,” Diko said.
She said the special envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government was taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account.