South African President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed a team of special envoys to deliver messages of solidarity to several Heads of State and Government across Africa following xenophobic attacks perpetrated by South Africans against foreign nationals.
The announcement comes a day after Ramphosa apologised to Africans for the violence which has killed more than 10 people, displaced hundreds of others and resulted in property of unknown value damaged.
Ramaphosa spoke in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, during the state funeral for the late former president, Robert Mugabe.
The aim of the envoys is to reassure fellow African countries that South Africa is committed to the ideals of pan-African unity and solidarity and the rule of law, according to a statement by the Presidency.
“The Special Envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account,” the statement read in part.
The envoys, who began their assignment on Saturday, will visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
The team consists of former cabinet minister Jeff Radebe, South Africa representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo and African National Congress veteran Dr. Khulu Mbatha.
South Africa has been hit hard by reactions from abroad in light of the violence against migrants.
Air Tanzania, Tanzania’s national carrier, has suspended flights from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg while the South African Football Association has had to cancel to friendly matches due to the violence.
