Johannesburg – Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has urged South Africans to reject hostility toward other Africans, saying the country’s problems cannot be blamed on foreign nationals.
Mbeki made the remarks in Johannesburg on Saturday during a thanksgiving ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation. He said he was deeply disturbed by the actions of groups such as Operation Dudula, which has targeted migrants in South Africa.
“What hurts me is that when I see things like Operation Dudula, it hurts. We cannot position ourselves as if we are enemies of other Africans,” he said. “It is not right that there are problems we have got to solve in this country… we have caused the problems.”
Operation Dudula, which has recently registered as a political party, has come under fire from human rights organisations for deploying its members to clinics and schools to question the legal status of foreign nationals. The group has also warned school principals in some areas against admitting undocumented learners.
Mbeki, who has been active in peace and mediation efforts across the continent since leaving office, said Africa’s current state of instability requires collective responsibility from its leaders.
“Look at Sudan, terrible things are happening there, both North and South, and the people come to the foundation and say, ‘Do something’. It is our responsibility; we cannot run away from that,” he said.
He added that the rebirth of Africa remains a shared duty for all nations on the continent. “When we say the renaissance of the continent, we are saying starting from here to Algeria, and together we have to join hands and overcome the obstacles in the path of that renaissance,” Mbeki said.
Reflecting on his role as a statesman, Mbeki acknowledged that it is sometimes difficult for former leaders to advise sitting presidents without being accused of interference. Despite this, he vowed to continue working toward unity and progress across Africa.
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