Cyril Ramaphosa says migration should be "out of choice and not necessity"

Speaking to the Pan-African Parliament on July 27, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed migration by condemning violence against migrants while acknowledging that unauthorized entry poses real concerns. He urged African states to fix internal problems—conflict, instability, poor governance, poverty—that push millions to leave home, envisioning a future in which leaving is a voluntary decision rather than a last resort. He also called on the parliament to defend constitutional democracy, including opposing illegal term extensions and institutional weakening. An analysis accompanying the speech argues that continental solidarity must hold both receiving and sending countries accountable, and that condemning xenophobia alone is insufficient if the root causes of forced migration go unaddressed.