South Africa, it appears, is on a damage control mission. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has now deputed high-ranking emissaries to several African countries to assuage the feelings of citizens of other African countries and to tell them that they are welcome in his country. The wave of xenophobic violence earlier this month, had taken the sheen out of the arguably the most progressive country in Africa. The mission will visit countries like Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia..
Recently, several migrants from neighbouring Zimbabwe and Mozambique had fled from South Africa. Nigeria airlifted 600 of its citizens back home following violence on them. Ramaphosa was jeered during his speech at Zimbabwe ex-leader Robert Mugabe’s funeral in Harare. His comments to welcome other Africans to South Africa were given a rousing welcome by fellow Africans. South Africa, the continent’s second-largest economy, is a major destination for other African migrants including Nigeria, which is now adjudged as the fastest growing African economy. According to analysts the increase in the recent problems are more rooted in the plight of the South African economy, where jobs are difficult to come.
