In addition to similar concerns raised by Nigeria’s government, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, pictured, has spoken out about “xenophobic incidents” targeting Ghanaians in South Africa.
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- Nigeria’s government has called in South Africa’s acting high commissioner in Abuja to address documented cases of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens.
- Nigeria’s move follows a similar summons by Ghana last week, highlighting growing anger across Africa over repeated bouts of anti-migrant violence in South Africa.
- South Africa’s acting police minister has denounced the attacks as unlawful and unconstitutional, warning that xenophobia, looting and intimidation will not be tolerated.
Nigeria’s government has summoned South Africa’s top diplomat in Abuja over attacks on foreigners in the country, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long been a destination for both legal and undocumented African workers.
But saddled with an unemployment rate of over 30% it has seen repeated spurts of xenophobic and anti-migrant protests – including renewed violence in recent weeks.
South Africa’s acting high commissioner in Abuja is set to meet with Nigerian officials on Monday for discussions on “documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses”, foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa said.
The summons comes a week after Ghana’s foreign ministry called in South Africa’s acting high commissioner in Accra over several “xenophobic incidents” against Ghanaians.
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Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa spoke of an incident in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province in which a Ghanaian, “a legal resident, was confronted… (and) instructed to leave South Africa and ‘fix his country’”.
The statement also warned of “escalating tensions, with foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, being advised to remain indoors for their safety”.
There are more than three million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1% of the population, according to the statistics agency.
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More than 63% come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.
South Africa’s acting police minister last week condemned anti-immigrant violence, saying attacks on foreign nationals were “unlawful” and violated the country’s constitutional values of dignity and equality.
“Acts of xenophobia, violence, looting, or intimidation will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Firoz Cachalia said in a statement.
Police have “been instructed to act decisively and without hesitation in addressing these incidents”, he added.
