Xenophobia: President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatches special envoys to African countries after being booed at Mugabe’s burial

A special envoy made up of three officials have been dispatched by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to some seven African countries after he was booed at former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s funeral in Harare on Saturday September 14. 

The special envoy made up of former minister Jeff Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mmabolo and Khulu Mbatha, a veteran leader of the ruling African National Congress will be visiting Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to deliver a message of solidarity and also brief each country’s government on steps South Africa is taking to end the xenophobic attacks. 

“The special envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account,” the statement from South Africa’s presidency read. 

Recall that the South African President was booed as he addressed mourners at Robert Mugabe’s state funeral service at the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare. He apologised on behalf of South Africans but was told by angry Zimbabweans that an apology is not enough. Zimbabweans told him that they want his government to arrest those behind the attack and ensure the protection of their foreign nationals.