South Africa’s economic growth and future are inextricably tied to the rest of the continent, and the country is “nothing without Africa,” MTN Group Chairman Mcebisi Jonas declared in a sweeping and unsparing condemnation of ongoing xenophobic violence and anti-foreigner sentiment.

Delivering a deeply political eulogy at the funeral of Zimbabwean-born activist Thokozani Damasane, the former South African Deputy Minister of Finance turned private-sector leader issued one of the most direct interventions by a major African business figure on the country’s immigration crisis.

Jonas forcefully pushed back against the narrative that removing foreign nationals would solve South Africa’s socioeconomic woes, attributing the crisis instead to state failure and cynical political exploitation.

“Foreigners can leave tomorrow – inequality will be with us,” Jonas told the congregation.

“Foreigners will leave tomorrow – unemployment will be with us. Foreigners will leave tomorrow – our police will remain corrupt.”

He placed responsibility for the crisis squarely on the South African government, arguing that poor border management, weak law enforcement, and failing educational systems have created fertile ground for political manipulation.

When citizens feel the burn of state failure, Jonas noted, they become vulnerable to opportunistic politicians who use foreigners as scapegoats to win elections.

A Crisis With Continental Consequences Jonas’s intervention comes at a highly sensitive moment for South Africa’s diplomatic and economic relationships across the continent, particularly with Nigeria.

Episodes of xenophobic violence—often directed at nationals from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi—have repeatedly damaged South Africa’s standing.

Severe outbreaks in 2008, 2015, and subsequent years have historically triggered diplomatic friction, with Nigeria previously summoning South African ambassadors following attacks on its citizens.

For businesses like MTN—a Johannesburg-headquartered telecommunications giant that counts Nigeria as its largest and most profitable market—the stakes are incredibly high. South African businesses operating across the continent frequently face retaliatory pressure, boycotts, and hostility in the wake of xenophobic attacks at home.

By grounding his message in continental solidarity, Jonas reminded his audience of the economic realities of a connected Africa.

“We are a nation embedded in Africa,” he said. “And without Africa, our growth as a country – economically – our fortune is intertwined with the growth of Africa. South Africa is nothing without Africa. And Africa is nothing without South Africa.”

The Colonial Roots of Tribalism Beyond immediate political failures, Jonas offered a sharp historical critique of tribalism and ethno-nationalism, describing them as colonial inheritances designed to divide African people.

“The tribe is a product of colonial powers,” he argued, noting that ethnic divisions were historically amplified to enforce indirect rule. He lamented that this colonial logic has mutated into the engine driving contemporary xenophobic violence, where people are persecuted simply for being “different.”

Jonas did not spare liberation movements, including South Africa’s own, criticizing them for sustaining ethnic divisions for political gain.

He issued a strong call for South Africans to banish identity politics and ethno-nationalism, advocating instead for a return to a “national consciousness” rooted in shared humanity.

Reflecting on the life of Damasane, who relocated to South Africa post-apartheid and immersed himself in the country’s struggles, Jonas reminded mourners that a person’s worth is not defined by their origin.

“Sometimes this thing called meritocracy is measured in wealth. No. It is values, it is principle, it is integrity,” he said. “We cannot judge people by their origin.”

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