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Ramaphosa: Intimidation of foreign nationals cannot be tolerated

Source: News24, 31/08/2022

President Cyril Ramaphosa was responding to questions on immigration from members of the National Assembly on Tuesday. He said that the rule of law must be followed as the country grappled with illegal migration.
CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the intimidation of foreigners who were in the country legally or illegally can not be tolerated and the rule of law must be followed.
He said that if the issue of migration was handled properly, foreign nationals could contribute positively.
Ramaphosa was responding to questions on immigration from members of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
While most of the question and answer session with President Ramaphosa was disrupted, he did manage to address concerns over migration.
He said that the rule of law must be followed as the country grappled with illegal migration.
`As we deal with the challenge of illegal migration, we must remember that we are a democracy founded on the rule of law. Acts of lawlessness, intimidation and humiliation directed at foreign nationals, whether they are documented or undocumented, should not be tolerated,` the president said.
Ramaphosa also told MPs that the country was not xenophobic.
`We have always said that South Africa is not xenophobic. We are a people who have always welcomed those from various countries,` the president said.
He said the first cohort of the Border Management Agency border patrols has been deployed in areas where illegal entry into the country has been reported.
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