By David Olalekan.
The South Africa Minister of Foreign Affairs, Naledi Pandor has stated that no compensation would be paid to Nigerian citizens who incurred losses from xenophobic attacks.
Pandor, who spoke yesterday in an interview with eNCA, disclosed that Nigerians are involved in drug and human trafficking in the country, adding that South Africans believe many Nigerians are “harming our young people.”
Responding to whether the South African security agencies had helped in protecting foreigners including Nigerians from attacks, she said: “I would appreciate them in helping us as well to address the belief our people have and the reality that there are many persons from Nigeria dealing in drugs in our country.
“I believe that Nigerian nationals are involved in human trafficking and other abusive practices.
“These kind of assistance of ensuring that such persons do not come to our country will be of great assistance to our nation.”
According to the President of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adeola Olubajo, many Nigerians have been killed in South Africa, including the destruction of properties and goods worth millions of dollars.
Consequent upon this, the Federal Government has demanded full compensation for victims.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, yesterday said, “Our citizens there have suffered a lot. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that they are compensated and we will take measures necessary and do whatever we have to do to ensure that they are compensated.”
Onyeama added, “Full compensation has to be paid because as we have discovered from previous experience, a lot of these Nigerians loss their property and it is a long drawn out process and very often are not compensated for it. But on this occasion, the Nigerian government is going to fight for full compensation and hold the government of South Africa to count.”