South Africa: Onyeama condemns fresh attacks on Nigerians

The minister said Nigeria will take definite measures to prevent future attacks.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has condemned fresh attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

The President of the Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA), Adetola Olubajo, had raised alarm earlier on Monday, September 2, 2019, over attacks by South Africans on foreigners, including Nigerians, and their businesses which were being looted and burnt.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, is unhappy with the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa [Daily Trust] Pulse Nigeria

He said mobs launched attacks on foreigners in the Jeppestown area of Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city, on Sunday, September 1, leaving three dead.

Olubajo said over 50 places of business were destroyed, looted and burnt over the night by the mob who only targeted foreign nationals.

"The means of livelihood of people were looted and destroyed by fire overnight which have left many Nigerians traumatised.

"Nigerian-owned businesses were seriously affected. A car sales business owned by a Nigerian were among the several businesses set ablaze over the night.

"Although the Police said that many people had been arrested in connection with the unnecessary attacks, the looting and burning of foreign-owned businesses continued till Monday morning," he said in a statement.

Nigerian-owned car sales business burnt by South African mob [NAN] Pulse Nigeria

Onyeama took to his Twitter account (@GeoffreyOnyeama) on Monday to condemn the fresh attacks.

"Received sickening and depressing news of continued burning and looting of Nigerian shops and premises in South Africa by mindless criminals with ineffective police protection. Enough is enough. We will take definitive measures," he posted.

Nigerians have battled xenophobic attacks in South Africa for years, with at least 127 believed to have been killed over the past three years.

At least 13 of those were documented to have been killed by officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

It was revealed last week that four SAPS officers have been arrested in connection to the death of Pius Abiazem, a Nigerian businessman.

Abiaziem reportedly died while he was being interrogated by a team of police officers at his home in Eastern Cape on August 23, 2019.

While holding a bilateral meeting with Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, on the sidelines of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) last week, South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said his government is working to end the attacks.

"We feel very upset about that. Obviously, our criminal justice system is working on it. We don't support killings," Ramaphosa said.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the issue at more length during Buhari's official visit to South Africa in October.