Tyla Calls For African Unity Amid Tensions

South African pop star Tyla has called for African unity, as tensions over migration and anti-immigrant attacks continue to affect her home country.

The 24-year-old, two-time Grammy Award winner, made the call after receiving the International Achievement prize at the 2026 South African Music Awards on Saturday, August 15.

In her acceptance speech, Tyla said she was proud to be South African and African and expressed hope for a united Africa.

Her remarks came amid heightened tensions over the treatment of foreign nationals in South Africa. More than 178,000 African migrants have reportedly left the country in recent months through voluntary repatriation and deportation, with Zimbabweans and Malawians accounting for large numbers.

The issue has also strained South Africa’s relations with other African countries.

Weeks before Tyla’s remarks, Nigerian social media users called for a boycott of her planned Lagos concert following xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The singer later removed the December 22 Lagos date from her APop World Tour.

A day before Tyla’s speech, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed shame over attacks against foreign nationals and said South Africa could not promote regional integration while practising exclusion.

Tyla’s comments have been welcomed by some Africans, although others questioned whether calls for unity would be enough to address the deeper political and social tensions surrounding migration.

SOURCE: TRTAfrika