Geordin Hill-Lewis, leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance and mayor of Cape Town, has condemned growing xenophobic attacks against immigrants in South Africa, urging authorities across all levels to protect vulnerable communities and enforce the law. His remarks followed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s earlier pledge to tighten border security and crack down on businesses hiring undocumented workers. Hill-Lewis stated that joblessness, crime, and failing infrastructure are not the fault of foreign nationals. He argued that migrants are being unfairly scapegoated for deeper structural failures, including weak economic growth and ineffective governance, and warned against politicians exploiting economic hardship to incite hatred. Hill-Lewis’s stance benefits his party, positioning it as a moral counterweight, and vulnerable migrant communities, who gain a voice in their defense. In contrast, it increases scrutiny on politicians seeking to exploit public anger for electoral gains.
Bloomberg