African ambassadors to South Africa have clarified that they are postponing their own Africa Day event for security reasons and are not boycotting the main government celebration.
André Nzapayeke, ambassador of the Central African Republic and dean of the African ambassadorial corps, said the ambassadors had written to International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola to postpone their planned event in Kempton Park on 30 May.
Nzapayeke told Daily Maverick that about a thousand people were expected and that security could not be guaranteed for attendees traveling to and from the venue. He stressed that the decision applied only to their own celebration and that they were not boycotting the official event in Moruleng on 25 May.
Lamola said the government had been engaging with African counterparts and had condemned isolated violent incidents and vigilante actions. He added that irregular migration must be handled by law enforcement in a constitutional manner.
At the Moruleng event, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie called for undocumented foreigners to return home and said African leaders should address why their citizens were leaving.
