The South African government has begun to lament the impacts of xenophobic claims by some individuals, leading to income loss for businesses of its citizens abroad.
The government, through its Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, clarified that the mass evacuation that recently happened in the country was targeted at illegal African immigrants, devoid of xenophobia.
She said this during an interview with SABC on Sunday, stressing that the country was facing backlash and that some of its artists were having their shows cancelled across the continent.
“We can’t lie about the backlash, and that is why part of the work that we are doing as a government, as well as through DECO, is engagement with businesses abroad, South African companies abroad.
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“Minister Alamola has met with them, and we are providing services, support services, and consular services for those businesses on the continent and outside the continent,” she said.
Kubayi added that the majority of South African artists perform on the continent, “and many of them are seeing their gigs being cancelled”.
“One artiste did reach out to me to say all her gigs were cancelled on the continent. This is an income lost by a South African,” the minister stated. “That is why let’s deal with the issue of illegal immigrants. Those you have within your borders legally, please protect them as you would protect South Africans.”
Recall that on June 11, South Africa captain Ronwen Williams expressed disappointment at what he described as a lack of support from fellow African nations following Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico in their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match.
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