Salif Keita cancels SA performance in response to xenophobic violence

26 AUG 2026, 08:37

2 min read

Legendary Malian singer-songwriter Salif Keita has announced he will be cancelling all future plans to perform in South Africa in response to the xenophobic violence that has recently been reported in the country. 

“To my beloved brothers and sisters in South Africa, and across the continent,” Keita wrote in a statement. “For over fifty years, Africa has not just been a place I visit — it is who I am. South Africa, in particular, has always welcomed me as a brother, not just an artist.

“That is why my heart is so heavy today. I cannot ignore the reports of xenophobic violence against our African brothers and sisters. When I see migrants attacked, I do not see “politics”. I see people looking for work, safety and dignity. This does not match the South Africa I know — the South Africa that stood with Mali and the South Africa that Nelson Mandela built.”

Often referred to as the “Golden Voice of Africa”, Keita was scheduled to perform at the Manguang African Cultural Festival taking place from 3 to 13 September 2026. Earlier this year, Keita was also scheduled to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek but was forced to pull out due to illness.

“In 1988, I sang at Wembley for Mandela because apartheid was our shared struggle,” his statement went on. “Today, that same conscience forces me to make a painful decision: I am canceling my scheduled commercial performances in South Africa.

Please hear me clearly: This is not a rejection of you, the people. It is a rejection of hate. I understand the frustrations. But pain cannot become hatred toward our fellow Africans. Colonial borders separate us on a map, but they must never divide our humanity.”

In recent months, groups such as Operation Dudula and March and March have led aggressive anti-immigration campaigns, blockaded public services and demanded that undocumented foreigners leave the country.

Major demonstrations and localised attacks have hit cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban, resulting in multiple fatalities and widespread displacement. Several African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi and Mozambique have stepped in to coordinate emergency repatriations for thousands of their citizens.

“To be clear — I am not closing the door on South Africa. I am closing the door on violence.

“If there is a stage in a township, I will sing there. If a community needs to be heard, I will listen. When the time is right, I will return — not for applause but for healing, dignity and ubuntu. I step back in love and sorrow. But I will sing again when our shared humanity wins,” the statement concludes.