A number of African countries are livid about the wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Some South Africans have been captured in viral videos torturing other African migrants in the latest attacks in Johannesburg.
For months now, Nigerians have been protesting what they call xenophobic attacks on their nationals in South Africa.
Some 800,000 Nigerians reside in South Africa and some 128 of them have been killed in attacks since 2016.
The latest attacks on foreigners in South Africa started last week after a taxi driver was murdered by an alleged drug dealer in Pretoria.
South African media reported that the said killer was speculated to a Nigerian.
That sparked protest followed by looting and burning of foreign-owned businesses.
Nigeria anger
In a tweet the Nigerian government condemned the attacks, describing it as unacceptable.
President Buhari in a statement also said he was “sending a Special Envoy to President Ramaphosa to share our deep concern about the security of Nigerian lives and property in South Africa, and to ensure that the South African Government is doing everything within its power in this regard.”
I am sending a Special Envoy to President Ramaphosa to share our deep concern about the security of Nigerian lives and property in South Africa, and to ensure that the South African Government is doing everything within its power in this regard.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) September 3, 2019
The violence is to be discussed at next month’s meeting of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The police in South Africa have struggled to bring the attacks under control.
Ramaphosa message
Meanwhile President Ramaphosa has condemned the continued violence across South Africa in a video message on social media.
I condemn the violence that has been spreading around a number of our provinces in the strongest terms. I’m convening the ministers in the security cluster today to make sure that we keep a close eye on these acts of wanton violence and find ways of stopping them. pic.twitter.com/sizZkwIyPO
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 3, 2019
The Zambian government has also issued an alert to protect it’s citizens in the wake of the attacks on other African migrants in South Africa.
The government has asked Zambian drivers plying the route to and from South Africa to suspend their trips till further notice.
The Ghana High Commission in South Africa has also issued an alert to Ghanaians residing in South Africa.
The alert read “Ghanaians in South Africa should be cautious and avoid places that are prone to violence. They should communicate early signals and potential threats to their leadership, the Pretoria mission and the police.
Ghanaians living in and around perceived hotspots must be on the alert, watch and monitor movements of suspicious assailants”.
Zimbabwe’s Cross Borders Transportation Association also warned that it could halt all South African cross border transport.
Source: Africafeeds.com
