Malian singer and songwriter Salif Keita has cancelled his upcoming concerts in South Africa in response to anti-migrant protests in the country, his spokesperson told AFP.
South Africa was rocked by a series of marches against illegal immigration earlier this year, that at times turned deadly.
“I cannot ignore the reports of xenophobic violence against our African brothers and sisters,” Keita says in a statement published on Facebook.
Keita says he made the “painful decision” to cancel upcoming commercial shows in South Africa, without specifying the dates or venues of the performances.
His manager, Carolina Vallejo with One World Records, has confirmed his decision to AFP.
With a career spanning more than 50 years, the artist (76) still tours, although less frequently, for medical reasons.
“To be clear , I am not closing the door on South Africa. I am closing the door on violence,” Keita’s post says.
“When I see migrants being attacked, I don’t see ‘politics’. I see people searching for work, safety and dignity. That does not match the South Africa I know – the South Africa that stood firm with Mali, and the South Africa that Nelson Mandela built.”
More than 160 000 people have left South Africa since late May, according to an AFP tally based on figures released by African governments that organised repatriations, including around 1 500 Nigerians.
