South Africa’s Cabinet Blasts ‘Illegal King’ Coronation After East London Protests

South Africa’s cabinet has criticised an attempted coronation involving Nigerian nationals in the Eastern Cape, describing it as unlawful and without any legal standing in South Africa.

The incident, which centred on the installation of a so-called Igbo “king”, reportedly triggered protests in KuGompo City. The demonstrations later turned violent, prompting concern from government.

Cabinet Rejects ‘So-Called King’ Installation

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet had taken note of the incident and rejected the legitimacy of the coronation.

She said the act had no legal effect in South Africa and did not align with the country’s recognised traditional leadership structures.

Ntshavheni also confirmed that Cabinet had acknowledged an apology from the Nigerian High Commission, adding that the conduct of those involved was not in keeping with expectations of foreign nationals in the country.

Following a two-day Cabinet meeting, Ntshavheni emphasised the need for all individuals residing in South Africa to respect local customs, traditions and the rule of law.

She said government viewed the matter seriously and reiterated that actions undermining established systems of governance and cultural recognition would not be tolerated.

New Immigration White Paper Signals Policy Shift

During the same briefing, Ntshavheni announced Cabinet’s approval of a revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection (CIRP).

The proposed policy seeks to merge existing legislation — including the Citizenship Act, Immigration Act and Refugees Act — into a single framework aimed at improving efficiency and consistency.

Government said the reforms are designed to modernise immigration systems, incorporate visa changes linked to Operation Vulindlela, and strengthen digital processes.

‘First Country of Safety’ Principle Reinforced

The draft policy introduces the “first country of safety” principle, which encourages individuals fleeing conflict to seek refuge in the nearest safe country.

Ntshavheni noted that South Africa does not operate refugee camps and instead integrates asylum seekers into communities, allowing them to work if properly documented.

“The first country of safety principle is guided by the UN. It states that in situations of conflict, people are allowed to leave their countries and go to the next country where there is no conflict, where they can be granted refugee status and protection,” she said.

Focus on Economic Migration Under Review

Ntshavheni said South Africa is not typically a primary destination for people fleeing active war zones, citing stability in neighbouring countries.

She added that while the country had previously accommodated economic migrants on humanitarian grounds — particularly during Zimbabwe’s economic crisis — the new policy would reassess such measures.

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“You’ll remember when Zimbabwe had an economic meltdown… we admitted people as economic refugees at the time when we introduced the Zimbabwean special permit,” she said.

“But the question that we have is that does the economic situation still warrant economic migrants in the country? So the white paper deals with those issues.”