MTN Group Chairman and former South African Deputy Finance Minister, Mcebisi Jonas, has strongly condemned xenophobic violence and anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa, insisting that the country’s future is closely tied to the rest of Africa
Jonas made the remarks during a powerful eulogy at the funeral of Zimbabwean-born activist and public servant, Thokozani Damasane
Speaking on South Africa’s immigration tensions, Jonas rejected claims that removing foreign nationals would solve the country’s social and economic problems
“Foreigners can leave tomorrow – inequality will be with us,” he said
“Foreigners will leave tomorrow – unemployment will be with us. Foreigners will leave tomorrow – our police will remain corrupt. Foreigners will leave tomorrow – our politicians will still be concerned with one thing: being elected and re-elected.”
He blamed the crisis on failures by the South African state, arguing that weak institutions and poor governance had worsened public frustration
“The problem is the failure of the state. The state doesn’t manage immigration. It doesn’t manage its borders. It doesn’t enforce law enforcement,” Jonas stated
According to him, citizens facing hardship become vulnerable to politicians who exploit anti-foreigner sentiment for political gain
“When people feel the burn, they become vulnerable to politicians whose sole purpose is to be elected and re-elected,” he said
Jonas also criticised tribalism and ethnic politics, describing them as colonial-era divisions that continue to fuel conflict across African societies
“The tribe is a product of colonial powers,” he said, warning that ethnic divisions had evolved into drivers of modern xenophobic violence
“You would see in the streets, it’s no longer about whether you are from South Africa or not from South Africa. It’s about the tribe… and therefore we have to persecute you.”
He further accused liberation movements of sustaining tribal identities for political advantage
“Identity politics – we must banish them in our country. Ethno-nationalism is something that in this country we must banish,” he added
Reflecting on the life of the late Damasane, Jonas praised him for embracing South Africa and contributing to its development
“He immersed himself deeply into the struggles, into the pains of South Africans, and he became one of us,” Jonas said
The MTN chairman concluded by stressing the importance of African unity and regional cooperation
“We are a nation embedded in Africa,” he stated
“South Africa is nothing without Africa. And Africa is nothing without South Africa.”
He also warned against judging people based on nationality or ethnic background
“We cannot judge people by their origin. We cannot determine the legal status of people by their origin,” he said
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