South African Foreign Affairs Minister, Naledi Pandor, has defended the South Africans’ xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, adding that many Nigerians deal on drugs, human trafficking and other related criminal activities.
She said: “I would appreciate them in helping us as well to address the belief our people have and the reality that there are many persons from Nigeria dealing in drugs in our country.
“I believe that Nigerian nationals are involved in human trafficking and other abusive practices. “These kind of assistance of ensuring that such persons do not come to our country will be of great assistance to our nation,”
TheCable quoted her as saying. Pandor who in an interview with ‘eNCA’, a South African news website, solicited for President Muhammadu Buhrai’s help in tackling different criminality in the country averred, that Nigeria needs to help address the belief that its countrymen are involved in criminal activities.
The minister said government was aware of a resentment-driven “Afrophobia” and was working to restore calm.
Recall that South Africans have been accused of killing foreigners in their country. But the recent one that triggered tension was the Fridays attack on foreigners which resulted to the death of three persons.
Reports equally have it that houses owned by some Nigerians and business shops were burnt down. Reacting on this, Nigerian Federal government pulled out of the ongoing World Economic Forum in Cape Town, and recalled it envoy back.
However, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Onyeama while briefing journalists said, “In the first place, we must address the issue of compensation.
There has to be accountability and there has to be responsibility for compensating all those Nigerians that have suffered loss and we are going to absolutely push forward.
” The attacks, looting and burning of businesses allegedly owned by Nigerians in South Africa had on Wednesday morning, sparked off protest in some Nigerian cities as some irate youths stormed a Shoprite mall in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu others to protest the attack on Nigerians in South Africa.