South Africa's President calls for African nations to work together on migration

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa is calling for African countries to cooperate on migration.

"We need to work together to address issues like conflict, instability, poverty and social discord,” Ramaphosa said on Monday.

His appeal to the Pan-African parliament follows weeks of anti-immigrant protests led by groups who blame undocumented migrants for unemployment, crime and strain on public services.

Ramaphosa warned that unmanaged cross-border movement could undermine security and social order, and said no country should address the challenge alone.

"As African countries, we have to acknowledge and address the conditions that drive migration in the first place," Ramaphosa told a session of the parliament, which is the legislative body of the African Union.

Pretoria is facing growing criticism from other African governments over attacks on their citizens in South Africa.

Last week, a Nigerian national died while under arrest in Cape Town. Abuja has accused police of using "egregious tactics that led to his death.” 

At least four migrants have been killed in the violence, though some foreign governments say the death toll is higher.

The attacks were "sad and abhorrent", Ramaphosa said, adding that "we in South Africa deeply regret and mourn" the lives lost. "We've taken a firm stand against hatred for people from other countries, xenophobia or Afrophobia," Ramaphosa said.

Tens of thousands of African migrants have left South Africa over the last two months, with countries including Ghana, Nigeria and Malawi helping to repatriate their citizens.