By Ese Awhotu with agency report
Indications emerged yesterday that the federal government may have started evacuating its nationals from South Africa on Monday, as the death toll rises from the serial xenophobic attacks on foreigners in Durban, Johannesburg and other cities.
Nigerians in South Africa have already lost more than 21 million Nigerian naira, or over $105,000, since the violence broke out last month.
The Nigerian consul-general in South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, said Nigerian nationals living in South Africa have suffered a slew of property damages and losses including burned businesses, looted shops, scorched cars and stolen vehicles. “Nigerians have compiled damage to their property and it is totaling about 1.2 million rand or N21 million, which will be sent to the federal government for further action,” Ajulu-Okeke told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview Sunday. “I have also visited the site of the attacks in Johannesburg to assess the damage, and it was enormous.”
The wave of attacks on Africans from other countries started at the end of March in the coastal city of Durban and has spread to other parts of the country, forcing thousands of migrants to leave their homes. The attacks in South Africa have targeted African migrants whom locals accuse of stealing their jobs and businesses. It’s the deadliest spread of xenophobic violence South Africa has seen since 2008, when at least 67 people were killed.
Meanwhile, protesters marched on the South African embassy in Abuja, on Monday to protest the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa, and to urge the South African government to end to the violence.
Demonstrators held signs that read “Foreigners are not responsible for your joblessness, stop the killings now” and “We have showed Africans and South Africans love, why are they attacking us?”
The commission’s political secretary, Sthembiso Shongwe, condemned the attacks and said South Africa is doing everything possible to stop them. “These attacks, they are not acceptable because we are brothers and sisters, but I can assure you that the government is serious in bringing this under control,” Shongwe told Premium Times in Abuja on Monday.
While many protesters have called for the immediate evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa, one protester said he was hesitant about such action. “Evacuation may not be 100 percent,” Deji Adeyanju, an organizer of the protest, told the Premium Times. “There are Nigerians married to South Africans and many have kids too. We don’t want a bad precedence to be set.”
Also yesterday a civil rights organisation, One Africa Initiative, has threatened to embark on reprisal against South Africa investments in Nigeria and its Embassy in Abuja if the xenophobia attacks on migrants and migrant workers continue unchecked.
The group tabled their demands during a protest march on Monday in Abuja to some offices owned by South African citizens, including MTN Nigeria, DSTv and South African Embassy.
The protesters also stormed the United States Embassy to present their grievances on the unfortunate and lingering development in South Africa to the embassy.
They were led by the convener of OAI, Paul Edeh; Founder/President of Brekete Family, Ahmad Isah; PMAN Ambassador and gospel Artiste, Phil Roberts.
Others in the protest included Jakins Yusuf, Dorathy Joseph and Favour Johnson.
According to them, Nigeria contributed its resources to the actualisation of the freedom the South Africans are enjoying at the moment.
OAI, as part of its requests, demanded that victims of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa should be paid full compensation while their status remains.
Both the management of MTN and DSTv condemned the attacks and advocated equality and freedom for all Africans living in the former apartheid enclave.
The statement, which was distributed among journalists, read, “Perhaps some of those perpetuating this crime against humanity have forgotten the role Nigeria played towards their independence. They have forgotten so quickly that South Africans also live in Nigeria and also have huge investments.
“Ironically, no Nigerian has attacked MTN, DSTV, Shoprite and many more, which are all South African-owned companies since they commenced business in Nigeria.”
OAI warned the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria to mediate in the ugly development or risk being harassed and embarrassed by Nigerian citizens.
The group further said, “We are one Africa and together we fought slavery and we conquered. We are one Africa and together we fought colonialism and we conquered. We are one Africa and together we fought apartheid in South Africa and we conquered. We are one Africa and together we will fight xenophobic attacks on Africans and together, we will conquer,” the group said.
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