Zulu King Misuzulu Meets Mnangagwa Over Xenophobia

HARARE — Zulu monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and AmaMpondo King Ndamase Ndamase met President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare on Monday as South African traditional leaders moved to distance themselves from rising xenophobic sentiment targeting foreign nationals in their country.

The meeting comes after weeks of anti-immigrant tension in South Africa, including nationwide demonstrations on June 30 by groups calling for foreign nationals to leave the country. Zimbabwe’s government has said tens of thousands of its citizens have returned home since May due to fears of possible vigilante attacks.

In a statement issued after the meeting, King Misuzulu said his visit to Zimbabwe was not only as the leader of the Zulu nation but also as an African committed to the shared history, humanity and responsibility of people across the continent.

The king said Africa’s strength came from its connections and common experiences, adding that regional challenges required cooperation among African nations.

King Misuzulu also addressed concerns around migration, confirming that he entered Zimbabwe through the country’s official immigration process. He said he presented his passport, declared his nationality, explained the purpose of his visit and provided details about his stay.

He said every sovereign country had the right to know who enters its territory, why they are entering, how long they intend to stay and whether they are following national laws.

“Africa should never be expected to apologise for exercising rights that every sovereign nation in the world already exercises,” King Misuzulu said.

The Zulu monarch said discussions around migration had become increasingly divided, with some people wrongly viewing all concerns about illegal immigration as xenophobia, while others blamed foreign nationals for every challenge facing their communities.

“Neither position serves Africa,” he said.

King Misuzulu said violence against innocent people could not be justified regardless of their nationality. However, he added that countries should not abandon enforcement of immigration laws because of accusations of xenophobia.

He said the difference between lawful and unlawful migration needed to remain clear, adding that people who entered countries legally, respected laws and contributed positively to society deserved dignity and respect.

“However, unlawful entry, document fraud, organised human trafficking and deliberate violations of immigration legislation are matters of criminal justice and public administration — not questions of race or nationality,” he said.

The king also highlighted historical connections between Southern African communities, saying African identity had always extended beyond borders created during the colonial period.

He referred to Chief Mzilikazi kaMashobane, who served under King Shaka before moving north and establishing the Ndebele nation in present-day Zimbabwe. He said the descendants of Mzilikazi remained an important part of Zimbabwe’s history and identity.

King Misuzulu also mentioned Soshangane kaZikode, who established the Gaza State across areas that are now part of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Eswatini.

“These histories remind us that African identity has never been confined to colonial borders, and our shared ancestry should inspire mutual respect,” he said.

The king added that shared history should not be used as a reason to ignore immigration laws.

“Being family does not exempt us from respecting one another’s homes,” he said.

King Misuzulu rejected descriptions of South Africans as a people who hate other Africans, saying that South Africa had for generations welcomed people from across the continent, including students, entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, refugees and visitors.

Speaking after the meeting, King Ndamase said the purpose of their visit was to show that South Africa’s traditional leadership opposed xenophobia and violence against foreign nationals.

“We came here to Zimbabwe to show that we as traditional leaders, or royal leaders, of South Africa are against xenophobia,” Ndamase said.

He said the kings had informed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about their plans to travel to Zimbabwe and meet Mnangagwa.

Ndamase said the visit was aimed at promoting peace and unity among African countries.

“We are here to show peace, and to show that we as black people, or African people, are one,” he said.

He added that traditional leaders wanted to engage other leaders across the region so that African nations could work together and find solutions to challenges affecting communities.

Ndamase said illegal immigration and xenophobic violence were separate issues, adding that while illegal entry into South Africa was not acceptable, violence against migrants was not supported by royal leaders.

“We are not saying illegal immigrants are doing the right way of coming to South Africa illegally, but xenophobia and violence is not something which the royal leaders of South Africa want,” he said.

He said the protests and hostility towards foreign nationals represented the actions of a small group of people and did not reflect the position of the South African government or traditional leadership.

“There is March and March that is happening in South Africa. It is just a few people. It does not come from the government, it does not come from the royal leaders,” Ndamase said.

He said South Africa remained a country where people from across Africa could live peacefully.

Ndamase, who chairs the Kings Forum of South Africa, wrote to President Mnangagwa on July 3 requesting the meeting, referring to the Zimbabwean leader’s Pan-Africanist credentials.

The two kings had earlier met President Ramaphosa separately on June 27 and 28 to discuss South Africa’s response to growing anti-immigrant sentiment before deciding to engage leaders in the region.

The Harare meeting formed part of efforts by South African traditional leaders to encourage dialogue, regional cooperation and peaceful relations between African countries.