King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has called for calm and social cohesion, urging South Africans not to target foreign nationals despite growing concerns over illegal immigration and recent incidents of violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Zulu monarch made the appeal during an International Yoga Day event in Durban on Sunday, where he warned that violence and hostility towards migrants were damaging South Africa's image on the continent and beyond.
"We live in difficult times where we are desperate for peace. We are angry, we are hungry for peace. South Africans, we are asking, we are not looking good to the whole of Africa right now," the King said.
His remarks come as anti-illegal immigration civilian groups have set June 30 as a deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country. The government has distanced itself from the ultimatum, stressing that it carries no legal authority.
While acknowledging that illegal immigration remains a pressing issue, King Misuzulu said it must be addressed within the confines of the law and without resorting to violence.
The King's comments also follow a call by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli for law enforcement agencies to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of a Malawian national and the assault of two others in Pietermaritzburg.
Police say the body of the 29-year-old man was discovered near the Jika Joe informal settlement on Friday. He had allegedly been attacked and chased by a group of people from the nearby Sable Flats Manor area.
Ntuli said the provincial government was working closely with law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident.
"At the same time, we are making a call to our people in the province for calm and social cohesion because we need to understand that though the problem of illegal immigration is huge, we are addressing it as government, who are giving it more attention than ever before; hence, they can allow us the space to fix it," Ntuli said.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration visited Durban on Sunday, where members toured the former Drive-In site that is currently sheltering thousands of Malawian nationals awaiting repatriation.
Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Thandi Moraka, said the repatriation process was being handled with respect for human rights and dignity.
"This process is being managed while trying to respect human rights issues and people's dignity. We are pleased with what we are seeing, and we are hoping that within the stipulated time period, this process will be concluded," Moraka told the SABC.