The MTN Group Chairman, Mr Mcebisi Jonas, on Friday blamed South Africa’s recurring xenophobic attacks on governance failure.
Jonas said that immigrants were being unfairly scapegoated for deep-rooted national challenges.
He spoke at the funeral of Zimbabwean-born activist and public servant, Thokozani Damasane, where he urged South Africans to embrace humanity, continental solidarity and reject identity politics.
This is according to a statement by the Senior Manager, External Relations, MTN Nigeria, Mr Funsho Aina.
Jonas said that rising hostility toward foreign nationals reflected governance failure, including weak border management, corruption, unemployment, inequality and poor public service delivery.
According to him, expelling foreign nationals will neither tackle unemployment nor reduce inequality, corruption and political opportunism confronting South Africa.
“The problem is the failure of the state. It does not manage immigration, borders, law enforcement, education or other critical responsibilities,” Jonas said.
He said that politicians were exploiting citizens’ frustrations by blaming foreigners instead of addressing governance failure responsible for the country’s socioe-conomic difficulties.
Jonas also traced tribalism and ethnic divisions to colonial rule, describing them as artificial identities created to divide Africans and sustain political control.
He urged South Africans to reject ethnic nationalism, saying identity politics had weakened national unity and fuelled intolerance against fellow Africans.
Reflecting on Damasane’s life, Jonas described him as a Zimbabwean who embraced South Africa’s struggles and became an integral part of its democratic journey.
He said Damasane demonstrated that humanity, integrity and commitment to justice mattered more than nationality or place of birth.
Jonas recalled Damasane’s warning that worsening inequality, corruption and exclusion could one day force more South Africans to seek opportunities beyond their country’s borders.
Calling for renewed national consciousness, Jonas said that South Africa’s prosperity remained inseparable from Africa’s collective economic growth and political stability.
“We cannot judge people or determine their legal status by their origin,” he said.
Jonas said that MTN’s operations across 19 African markets reinforced the importance of stronger regional cooperation, peaceful co-existence and mutual trust among African nations.
His remarks come amid renewed concerns over recurring xenophobic violence targeting African migrants, which has strained South Africa’s diplomatic and economic relations across the continent.
