Foreign advisories against South Africa ‘do not change the price of bread’

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, briefs the media on the outcomes of the recent Cabinet meeting on 7 May 2026. Picture: GCIS Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says countries issue advisories to their citizens abroad all the time, and South Africa cannot stop them. What the South African government is calling for is for the laws of the country to be respected.

On Thursday, Ntshavheni briefed the media on the outcomes of the recent Cabinet meeting, and immigration issues dominated the questions that followed. Several countries, including Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria, have issued advisories for their citizens in South Africa amid protests against illegal immigration in the country. While others, such as Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, have labelled these advisories as “not good” for South Africa’s image, Ntshavheni said undocumented people “must do the right thing also”.

“In terms of advisories, countries do whatever they do. The advisories are issued left, right and centre by all sorts of countries, all kinds of countries, every year, every time. And it doesn’t change the price of bread.

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The price of bread is that South Africa has laws that must be respected and abided by by all, citizens and non-citizens. And we’re saying those who are undocumented must do the right thing also.” She further pointed to the ‘hypocrisy’ of other African countries that are speaking against South Africa while doing the same thing in their own countries. “It’s a reputation issue because countries that in the last few months deported in mass foreign nationals in their own countries are now speaking up against South Africa, which we have not done.” Further, Ntshavheni said that, as these advisories are being issued against South Africa, the accompanying discussion should focus on illegal activities by foreign nationals in the country.

“Those who are involved in selling drugs to our children, drug pipelining in our communities and those who are involved in shooting people to enforce Sharia law. There’s no Sharia law in South Africa. You cannot undermine the laws of these countries and want to impose your own laws.

Those who want to claim they’re kings in our own country, and you say South Africans must sit quietly. South Africans will not sit quietly. We cannot be undermined in our own country.” Ghana has reportedly formally asked the African Union (AU) to place the protests against illegal immigration in South Africa on the agenda of the AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting scheduled for 24 to 27 June, in Egypt.

Ntshavheni said that should the AU place the matter on the agenda, South Africa would not hesitate to explain the situation on the ground. “Our position is that we have nothing to hide as the South African government. We will provide, if the AU decides to put the matter on the agenda, we will provide the report, including the facts that are related to the matter, that there are no xenophobic attacks in South Africa.”

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