Nigerians strongly react to xenophobic attacks in South Africa

Nigeria and South Africa might be economic and political giants as far as the continent is concerned, but they are both unfriendly powerhouses. In what appears to be repetitive actions of violence on immigrants, especially Nigerians, fresh xenophobic attacks were reported in West Pretoria, South Africa recently. The disturbances in Pretoria come after further attacks which took place in Rosetenville, Johannesburg.

These attacks on the Nigerian community sparked an outrage from the Nigerian legislators, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and other Nigerian citizens. Fellow Africans have also been critical of the attacks on foreign African immigrants in South Africa. In response to the attacks, South African mobile telecoms giant MTN’s office in Abuja was vandalised. Following the xenophobic attacks against Nigerian citizens, NANS issue a two day ultimatum to South African companies  in Nigeria to relocate.

The Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama summoned the South African ambassador for a meeting  to discuss the current crisis.

Read: ‘Afrophobia’: How a continent hits itself in the face

A similar incident occurred in April 2015 during President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure. The then Nigerian envoy to South Africa, ambassador Martin Cobham and the consul-general, Uche Ajulu-Okeke were recalled by the Nigerian parliament to brief the house on the welfare of Nigerians in South Africa in the wake of anti-immigrant attacks in Durban and Johannesburg. This dramatic move was slammed by the South African government as “unfortunate and regrettable”.

People demonstrating against Xenophobia. Source: africanglobe

In 2008, 67 people were killed, with thousands fleeing to refugee camps. Homes and shops belonging to Nigerians, Somalis and others were looted and torched.

Many South Africans claim they are fighting illegal immigrants and those that engage in drug trafficking, prostitution and human trafficking. The South African police was also accused of complicity. Nigerian authorities have demanded for the security of its citizens as well as compensation for those that had their businesses destroyed.

The silence of the South African government on these attacks has been interpreted by critics and victims of these crimes as complicity. The xenophobic attacks did not deter the plans of an anti-immigrant march to take place on Friday to the Home Affairs Department in Pretoria. The organisers of the march, a group called Mamelodi Concerned Residents said they would proceed with their march against foreigners. The march tagged #Foreignmarch highlights contentious issues such as competition for jobs‚ access to economic opportunities and alleged criminal activities involving foreign nationals‚ including accusations of drug-peddling and prostitution.

Read: Tackling the root causes of migration to ‘Reimagine Africa’

Tthe South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has reportedly expressed its concern with rising violence against foreign nationals. SAHRC says there are WhatsApp reports that encourage the march to take violent action against foreigners. The human rights commission has written to various government departments asking what actions will be taken to prevent further violence. “The commission reiterates that an attack under the guise of crime prevention, aimed at a particular vulnerable group on the basis of their birth outside of South Africa is an infringement of the rights within our Constitution,” SAHRC noted.

The march has been viewed by some organisations as an encouragement to more expression of hate, to perpetuate violence and it ignite other xenophobic activities.

Unemployed builders and painters from Zimbabwe wait on a roadside for work in Cape Town, South Africa, 20 May 2015. Statistics South Africa reports the unemployment rate is around 24 per cent of the labour force in the country. Migrants from African countries join thousands of South Africans who on a daily basis look for part time labour. Some workers report waiting for over three months for even one days work. Unemployment in South Africa is one of the major issues facing government and is an underlying issue fuelling xenophobic tensions. Photo: ANP/ EPA/Nic Bothma

In response to the attacks, Aruna Kadiri, the NANS president  against Nigerians gave a 48 hour ultimatum to all South Africans to leave Nigeria. This came after the organisation had registered its displeasure with MTN, MultiChoice (DSTV) and the South African embassy where they burned the South African flag.  According to Premium Times Nigeria, the NANS president said that after 48 hours, if nothing was done, messages would be sent to students in all university campuses to bring down MTN masts all over the country.

Kadiri said  DStv and Shoprite would also be affected as the union had put adequate strategies in place to make the action effective.

“All the South African business empires in Nigeria and their collaborators in Nigeria will be affected”.

“I don’t want to say we will be barbaric but we will not be lawful in our actions, we will do it and face the consequences, enough of this rubbish,’’ he said.

Shoprite is one of the malls that has established itself in Nigeria. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

In what could be seen as retaliation against the xenophobic attacks on their compatriots, the MTN head office in Abuja was vandalised by Nigerian protesters. This incident took place at a time when Phuthuma Nhleko, MTN Group Chairman, South Africa, was in the country to meet Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

MTN has invested over $16 billion in Nigeria and reportedly recorded a loss for the first time since the beginning of their operations in Nigeria. South Africa’s leading companies in Nigeria include MTN, Power Giant, Eskom Nigeria, South African Airways, South African Breweries (SAB miller), Stanbic Merchant Bank of Nigeria, Multichoice and Umgeni Water.

The MTN office in Abuja, Nigeria after being vandalised by protesters. Photo: @ubaniraymond/Twitter

If reprisal attacks occur many South African businesses will be affected. According to Guardian Newspaper, in his last visit, President Zuma said there were 120 big South African companies in Nigeria, sparking off debate on obvious trade imbalance and lopsided economic ties between both countries.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said, “this is unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria.”

There  have been calls for the African Union (AU) to intervene in the crisis but previous calls have been met with a tough response by the South African Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba who said such issues were better settled diplomatically.

In response to Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s statement on 116 Nigerians killed in South Africa in the past two years, according to News Agency of Nigeria Gigaba said, “I don’t think it’s a discussion we need to get into because it will turn out very bad should we start counting how many South Africans have died at the hands of Nigerian nationals in South Africa.”

Various reactions have been posted on social media, including a comment from Julius Malema.

All fighters must protect our African Brothers&Sisters against any xenophobic attack,Africa we are one. Fight crime not our Fellow Africans

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) February 21, 2017

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Nigerians are protesting xenophobic attacks in South Africa ~South Africa is hosting #BBNaija cos we got no electricity.
It's complicated 😊

— Prof Stanley Nwabia (@MrStanleyNwabia) February 23, 2017

Xenophobic attacks are whack but let's not ignore the fact that there are some Nigerians doing a lot of damage to people here

— Joy 😜 (@worldneedsjoy) February 24, 2017

https://twitter.com/SimplyRisque/status/835009249411543040

I just saw a grown man cry due to the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in SA, he lost 8yrs of his efforts to this madness. #notfairatall

— ikoyiboy (@NGfanactivist) February 21, 2017

Nigerians Are Under Xenophobic Attacks In South Africa https://t.co/j42T5wx2CU @GoldRushVibes On IG pic.twitter.com/11iPFFWzMV

— Yøung Excel 🌍 (@ExcelJoab) February 18, 2017

1st was SA, now #Zambia, what's next?
Xenophobic attacks r a major set back to Africa's greatest vision "United states of Africa" #Mamelodi

— Welile (@UnathiMzaca) February 24, 2017

These xenophobic attacks,when will they end? South Africans really?!?! C'mon this is all too damn draining

— Tiisang (@Tiisang_Phoenix) February 24, 2017