WHO Chief to South Africa: Turning on Migrants Betrays the Spirit That Freed You.

The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has spoken out strongly against the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa. He called the violence a sad betrayal of the country’s own hard‑won fight against injustice.

In a social media post, Tedros said he was deeply grieved by new reports of attacks on foreign nationals. The violence has reportedly killed several people, forced thousands of families from their homes, and sent many fleeing for safety.

“It’s heartbreaking to see another round of xenophobic violence in South Africa this week,” he wrote. He noted that hundreds of people have marched on Parliament, and thousands of families are now displaced.

Tedros reminded South Africans that other African nations stood with them during the anti‑apartheid struggle. He pointed out that Ethiopia once issued a passport to Nelson Mandela in 1962 so he could travel across Africa for the liberation fight. Many other countries gave political, diplomatic, and financial support too.

He urged South Africans to settle their grievances through the law, not through violence.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Consulate General in Lagos tried to calm fears. They said the country is still safe and welcoming, even after some Nigerians cancelled or changed their travel plans because of the news.

The consulate strongly condemned all acts of intimidation and violence against anyone, including foreigners. They added that while concerns over illegal immigration are legitimate, those issues must be handled by state institutions not by private citizens taking the law into their own hands.