SOUTH AFRICA AND THE VIOLENT MOB
The authorities in South Africa must be held to account Like previous xenophobic attacks that now define South Africa, Nigerians are among the nationals of countries that are always targeted by their
In South Africa, the authorities must be held accountable for recent xenophobic attacks that have targeted Nigerians and other African nationals. These attacks, characterized by violence and destruction, have left many Nigerians dead, with a statement from the Nigerian High Commissioner, Femi Fani-Kayode, revealing that over 100 Nigerians have been murdered in xenophobic attacks over the past four years. Shockingly, only 30 of these killings were attributed to the South African police and defense force.
The most recent incidents include the murder of Bishop Michael Taiwo in Johannesburg and the killing of Mr. James Uchechukwu Nwankwo by South African Police Service officers. Despite numerous reports to their authorities, no one has been arrested, detained, prosecuted, or brought to justice for these heinous crimes.
The Nigerian government has expressed its concern, calling on the South African government to take action against racist organizations and their misguided members. Fani-Kayode has urged the South African government to protect Nigerians from the excesses of these organizations and to apply the full weight of the law against them.
This situation raises concerns about the normalization of Afrophobia in South African society and politics. Mobs have attacked public hospitals, ordering patients of other African nationalities out of the wards, and businesses owned by foreign nationals have been looted and set on fire. Victims have been harassed, beaten, and killed while begging for their lives.
The deadline for Nigerians to leave South Africa by 30 September, issued by xenophobic and Afrophobic South African NGOs, has not stemmed the tide of violence. As a leading voice on the continent, Nigeria must take decisive action and spearhead a coordinated response to hold South Africa accountable for the continued victimization of Nigerians and other Africans.
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