African music legend Salif Keïta boycotts South Africa festival in solidarity with migrant attack victims

Celebrated Malian musician Salif Keïta, 77, has withdrawn from a scheduled performance at South Africa’s Macufe Festival in the Free State, citing reports of xenophobic violence against African migrants — drawing disappointment from provincial authorities who described the festival as a celebration of African unity.

“When I see migrants attacked, I do not see ‘politics’. I see people looking for work, safety, and dignity,” Keïta said, describing his cancellation as “a rejection of hate” rather than South Africans themselves, according to Daily

The Guild reported that the withdrawal comes as anti-migrant tensions escalate across South Africa, with over 160,000 migrants having left through repatriation programmes since May and another round of nationwide protests announced for September 30.