Presidency Warns African Nations That Seizing SA Business Assets Will Hurt Their Own Economies

Presidency Warns African Nations That Seizing SA Business Assets Will Hurt Their Own Economies

  • Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya warned that targeting South African businesses abroad would damage investor confidence in host countries
  • Magwenya dismissed claims that South Africa is becoming isolated on the continent, calling them part of a misinformation campaign
  • The Presidency said President Ramaphosa is engaging regional leaders to find a coordinated response to illegal immigration

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Vincent Magwenya, South African Presidential spokesman, addresses media at the South African Parliament in Cape Town, on December 1, 2022
Vincent Magwenya said South Africa is still on good terms with African states. Image: Rodger Bosch/AFP
Source: Getty Images

PRETORIA — The Presidency has cautioned African governments against taking retaliatory action against South African companies operating on the continent, warning that such moves would ultimately harm the economies of the host nations themselves.

Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya issued the warning in Pretoria on Wednesday, amid growing concerns about potential backlash linked to recent South African protests against illegal immigration.

SA Business assets and investor confidence

Magwenya argued that any attempt to appropriate South African assets would send a damaging signal to the broader investment community. Countries that moved in that direction would effectively be broadcasting that they were closed for business, generating uncertainty that extended well beyond the bilateral relationship with South Africa. He added that the government was not particularly alarmed by such threats and did not regard them as a serious risk.

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On the question of South Africa's continental standing, Magwenya rejected suggestions that the country is becoming isolated. He described ongoing claims to that effect as a misinformation campaign, pointing to recent diplomatic activity as evidence that South Africa's relationships across the continent remain intact.

Ramaphosa pursues regional migration solution

Magwenya also addressed the underlying issue of illegal immigration, stating that no single country could be expected to manage the challenge in isolation. He characterised irregular migration as a global phenomenon rather than a problem specific to South Africa, and confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa is actively working with regional leaders to develop a collective and coordinated approach.

The Presidency maintained that sustained diplomatic engagement and strengthened regional cooperation are central to managing migration pressures while protecting trade relationships and bilateral ties across Africa.

Netizens accuse Ghana of disinformation

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the recent claims by Ghanaian media regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa's state visit request being denied, and how the South African Presidency has responded to these allegations. Amid rising tensions and accusations of disinformation, South Africans expressed their frustrations online, labelling the situation as part of a troubling pattern that has unfolded in recent months.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tebogo Mokwena avatar

Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena is a senior current affairs writer at Briefly News. With a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON, he has a strong background in digital journalism, having completed training with the Google News Initiative. He began his career as a journalist at Daily Sun, where he worked for four years before becoming a sub-editor and journalist at Capricorn Post. He then joined Vutivi Business News in 2020 before moving to Briefly News in 2023. Email: tebogo.mokwena@briefly.co.za