Thabo Mbeki criticizes Cyril Ramaphosa's stance on migration and its impact on South Africa

Mbeki argues that these claims are speculative and undermine informed responses to societal concerns, calling it a notable shortcoming for the head of state. He expressed these views in a discussion document titled "South Africa’s Political and Economic Crisis: In Search of a Visible Enemy, Ghosts and African Immigrants." Ramaphosa, while condemning the targeting of undocumented migrants, has stated that unchecked illegal migration poses risks to South Africa's security, stability, economic progress, and places a burden on essential services like healthcare and education.

Mbeki also suggested that the assertion of a threat to unity serves foreign power interests and that a "counter-revolutionary" Afrophobia agenda aims to eliminate the government's foreign policy focus on African unity. Analyst Zamikhaya Maseti praised Mbeki's contribution to the debate, noting it helps rescue the immigration discussion from populism and redirects attention to structural causes of South Africa's crises, though Maseti also pointed out Mbeki's reluctance to acknowledge immigration management as a legitimate public policy concern outside of xenophobia.