Hopewell challenges Ramaphosa to tackle SADC governance and migration crisis

Veteran investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has challenged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to use his position as SADC chairperson to confront governance failures he says are driving migration from Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries into South Africa.


In a strongly worded commentary, Chin’ono argued that South Africa could not resolve irregular migration through deportations, police operations and border controls alone, without addressing what he described as the root causes of migration. He cited disputed elections, repression, corruption, unemployment, economic decline and poor governance as factors forcing people to leave countries such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique. “Immigration is not merely a border‑management problem. It is also the bill South Africa receives for tolerating failed governance next door,” he said.

Chin’ono said SADC already had instruments requiring member states to uphold democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and challenged Ramaphosa to ensure these commitments were implemented. He pointed to the 2023 SADC Election Observation Mission report on Zimbabwe, which raised concerns about political participation, state media conduct, freedoms of assembly and expression, the voters’ roll and the distribution of ballot papers. He also cited SADC’s recommendations on Mozambique, including calls for the professionalisation and reconstitution of electoral management bodies on a non‑partisan basis and the implementation of reforms well ahead of elections.

According to Chin’ono, Ramaphosa should place the implementation of such recommendations formally before the SADC Summit and demand time‑bound reform programmes from member states. He said SADC should publish reports showing which governments had complied with recommendations and strengthen post‑election reviews so that observer reports did not become “ceremonial documents” after elections.

Chin’ono also invoked Article 33 of the SADC Treaty, which provides for sanctions against a member state that persistently fails to fulfil its treaty obligations or implements policies undermining SADC’s principles and objectives. He acknowledged that Ramaphosa could not impose sanctions unilaterally, but argued that the South African leader could use his chairmanship to place the issue firmly on the regional agenda.

The commentary further called for coordinated regional migration and labour policies, improved border administration and implementation of SADC agreements governing employment and the lawful movement of people. However, Chin’ono maintained that migration management alone would not resolve the problem. “If President Ramaphosa wants fewer Zimbabweans and Mozambicans crossing into South Africa out of desperation illegally, he must use South Africa’s diplomatic and economic influence to insist that their governments respect elections, constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law,” he said.

He criticised what he described as a long‑standing tendency by South African leaders to shield governments in the region from accountability, alleging that opposition leaders had accused ANC administrations of protecting delinquent governments. Chin’ono challenged Ramaphosa and the ANC to use South Africa’s SADC chairmanship to demonstrate that the regional body’s democratic principles would be enforced. “South Africa is now in charge. Let us wait and see whether it will be just a paper tiger or a real regional power that exercises the SADC powers it now holds,” he said.

Chin’ono argued that protecting governments accused of rigging elections, suppressing opposition, looting public resources and undermining constitutionalism ultimately harms South Africa through regional instability, economic problems and increased migration. The commentary comes amid continuing debate in South Africa over irregular migration and the country’s role in addressing political and economic challenges in the SADC region. This discussion feeds into wider debates around regional governance standards and migration policy reform.