The government of South Africa has condemned the recent xenophobic violence against foreigners including Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa, describing the incident as not only despicable but demeaning of the African people.
The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, who disclosed the position of the South African Government to journalists in Abuja yesterday, promised that culprits would not go unpunished.
He stated that irrespective of the level of grievances people feel, they are not allowed to take the laws into their hands.
Mnguni assured Nigerians of the preparedness of his country to protect the lives of all foreigners, stating that South Africans are peace loving people who would do everything possible to sustain and improve upon the smooth relationships that exist between them and their visitors.
The ambassador, however, appealed to foreign nationals in South Africa or those proposing a visit to ensure that they travel with genuine document and endeavour to respect the laws of their host country. He stressed that the issue of drugs and prostitution, which he claimed was largely responsible for the recent crisis, would require a collective efforts by all to be eradicated from the continent.
Muguni also advocated the need for foreigners to enter into partnership with South Africans to drive development just like the one that gave birth to MTN.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government while strongly condemning the incident, “urged the South African government to take the strongest measures to protect the lives and property of foreigners living in South Africa and also to quickly bring to justice the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.”
The government in a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs observed that incidents of xenophobic attacks have continued unabated in South Africa since 2015, and that Nigerians are among the groups that have been mainly targeted for attack and looting of their property. The ministry however urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding, adding that high level communications aimed at permanently resolving the crisis have commenced.
The government nonetheless advised Nigerians in South Africa to be vigilant.
