South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that perpetrators and instigators of violence against foreign nationals in the country will be arrested and prosecuted, insisting that no one involved in criminal activities will be shielded.

Ramaphosa gave the assurance while responding to questions from lawmakers in the National Assembly over the government’s handling of renewed xenophobic attacks targeting citizens of other African countries.

The President said the police and prosecuting authorities had been directed to investigate incidents of violence, particularly those involving injuries and deaths, and ensure that suspects are brought to justice.

“The commitment I can make is that those who are perpetrating and have perpetrated acts of violence against foreign nationals are going to be dealt with,” Ramaphosa said.

“The police and the prosecuting authorities have been given the responsibility to make sure that anyone who commits criminal activity in our country are followed up and they are brought to book.”

The President was responding to questions from Economic Freedom Fighters leader and Member of Parliament, Julius Malema, who demanded to know why those allegedly responsible for the attacks had not been arrested and prosecuted.

Malema told Ramaphosa that the violence against African foreign nationals had identifiable perpetrators and questioned why those allegedly behind the attacks had not been brought before the courts.

He further criticised the President over a meeting with two individuals he claimed were linked to the unrest, arguing that they should have been arrested at the time.

Responding, Ramaphosa said the government would not compromise the rule of law in dealing with the matter.

He declined to give a specific timeline for arrests, explaining that the process depended on investigations by law enforcement agencies and the subsequent work of prosecutors.

“We have said that the rule of law must apply, and those who have done wrong or continue to do wrong must be dealt with,” he said.

Ramaphosa disclosed that several people had already been arrested, while others suspected of leading or organising violent activities remained persons of interest to the police.

“A number of other people have been arrested and, of course, those others who were seen to be leading these processes are also people who are of interest, of direct interest to the police,” he said.

The President also raised the possibility of external involvement in the unrest, saying security agencies were investigating activities by forces outside South Africa that could be contributing to tensions between South Africans and citizens of other African countries.

“It has been interesting, as we have also found, that there have been activities that we have observed by a number of forces outside our country that have been bringing to bear their influence in this whole process,” Ramaphosa said.

He said investigators were following those leads as they sought to establish the different forces involved in the unrest.

According to him, some of the violence may have been “propelled and instigated from outside of South Africa”, although he stressed that such external influence did not explain every incident.

“It is a complex problem. It is a multifaceted problem,” Ramaphosa said.

“We are at work and working it through and deciphering precisely the various roles that have been played by our own people as well as those we perceive to be outsiders who want to disturb the stability in South Africa by getting South Africans to seem to be at war with Africans from other nations.”

Ramaphosa said the government was particularly conscious of the diplomatic consequences of the attacks, noting that other African governments and their citizens were closely monitoring South Africa’s response.

“Our neighbours and our fellow African heads of state and government, and indeed their citizens, are looking at South Africa and how we manage this process,” he said.

He assured lawmakers that cases involving violence, injuries and deaths would be pursued, with suspects facing arrest and criminal charges where evidence establishes their involvement.

“In a number of cases where, for instance, incidents of violence have even resulted into injury, into death, we are going to be following all that up and ensuring indeed that those who have perpetrated those acts are followed up and there will be arrests and there will be charges that will be preferred against those who have done so,” he said.

The President’s position comes amid renewed concerns over xenophobic violence and growing tensions involving foreign nationals in South Africa.