Africa-Press – South-Africa. Two Ghanaian citizens have submitted a request to the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary investigation into acts of violence targeting foreigners in South Africa, arguing that the pattern, scale, and recurrence of the attacks may amount to crimes against humanity.
The request was filed on July 15 by the former spokesperson for the Ghanaian government on governance and security, Balgrieve Bawaki Dankwa, and Emmanuel Kutin, an analyst specializing in counter-terrorism and security.
The applicants state that there is a “widespread and systematic” pattern of assaults against migrants, accusing the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa of failing to prevent crimes including murder, assault, and looting, or to adequately investigate and punish the perpetrators. These accusations are included in the request, and the court has not yet issued a ruling on them.
Protests and Assaults Against Migrants
In recent months, South Africa has witnessed a rise in anti-migrant protests, which in some cases have been accompanied by assaults that have resulted in the deaths of African migrants, assaults on others, and looting of homes and businesses, with tens of thousands leaving the country, according to a local source.
Protesters accuse foreigners of causing problems including unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services, despite migrants making up about 5% of South Africa’s population, a low percentage by international standards.
Pretoria Rejects the Accusations
For its part, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation described the request as “opportunistic,” asserting that the country has a developed legal framework that provides guarantees and mechanisms to combat discrimination and intolerance in all its forms.
Ramaphosa condemned the assaults and warned against blaming migrants for economic and social problems, emphasizing that the enforcement of immigration laws is solely the responsibility of the state, not individuals or groups organizing campaigns against foreigners.
The government stated that as of June 21, it had recorded 89 incidents related to public disorder and incitement, affirming that “preventing foreigners from accessing hospitals, schools, and public services or committing violence and intimidation against them is unlawful.”
Request Does Not Mean Investigation Will Open
The International Criminal Court has not yet announced whether it will accept the request or open an investigation regarding it. The information submitted to the Office of the Prosecutor is subject to an evaluation process to determine whether the allegations fall within the court’s jurisdiction and require further analysis.
Submitting the request does not automatically lead to a criminal investigation, as the prosecution office must assess the court’s jurisdiction, the nature of the alleged crimes, and the extent to which national authorities have conducted genuine investigations and prosecutions before taking any further steps.
