Mozambique: South African Diplomat Issues Apology Over Recent Acts of Xenophobia

What the report says

Mozambique’s newly designated High Commissioner to the country, JT Pitswane, has apologized to Mozambicans for recent xenophobic incidents in South Africa, according to a report from Maputo on Wednesday. The apology came as Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo received credentials from diplomats of eight countries, including South Africa, in a ceremony framed around strengthening bilateral ties.

The report says the apology was prompted by recent anti-migrant protests in South Africa that targeted Africans, including Mozambicans. It describes a wider pattern of discrimination that has in some cases led to looting, harassment, displacement and violent unrest in informal settlements, affecting thousands of Mozambicans who have been forced from homes and livelihoods.

Chapo responded by stressing the close social, cultural and economic links between the two countries. He also called for a more organized system to manage labor movement, including temporary visas for seasonal work and advance registration for Mozambicans seeking jobs in South Africa, so returns can happen legally and with dignity.

The meeting also included agreement to deepen diplomatic dialogue to help undocumented migrants leave South African territory safely and in line with human rights protections. More broadly, the credential ceremony highlighted Mozambique’s efforts to expand cooperation with several partners and to pursue investment and exchange in sectors such as agriculture, energy, mining, fisheries, trade, digitalization, integration and security.