South Africa’s xenophobia bug
In South Africa, the hatred of foreigners is not only from instinctive mobs running off the handle of institutional control. Governance institutions, notably security agencies that should be in the
In South Africa, the hatred of foreigners is not only from instinctive mobs running off the handle of institutional control. Governance institutions, notably security agencies that should be in the vanguard of protecting all residents of that country from undue harm, are vectors of xenophobic bile that has resulted in fatalities among immigrants. Ask the Nigerian community there.
Two Nigerians died last week at the hands of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel in circumstances that Nigeria’s diplomatic mission called out and demanded an independent probe to bring the killers to justice. The victims were identified as Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew. Emmanuel reportedly died from injuries sustained during beatings dealt to him by military operatives on April 20th. Andrew, for his part, was arrested by security agents on April 19th in an area of Pretoria, and his body was later found at the Pretoria Central Mortuary.
Nigerian Consul-General, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, deplored the killings, saying they raised questions about the safety of Nigerians and other immigrants in South Africa. She added that the separate incidents had left the bereaved families, the Nigerian community and the diplomatic mission in shock.
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The envoy said a formal complaint had been lodged with the South African Police Service, and she urged the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to ensure a thorough, transparent and impartial probe. “We call on South African authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators of the gruesome act to justice,” she stated, adding: “Our position is that no matter what the allegations may be, there are lawful processes and steps to justice. Everyone should be presumed innocent and granted fair treatment and hearing in a court of law. No one should take the law into their own hands under any circumstance.”
Okey-Uche further said the Nigerian mission would press for prosecution of perpetrators of the killings, and she warned against the dangerous tendency of profiling and generalising Nigerians as criminals.
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa advised foreign nationals residing in his country to respect its laws, customs and traditions. Speaking in an address to mark the country’s Freedom Day, amid renewed xenophobic tensions in parts of the country, he said while South Africa remained committed to global cooperation and human rights, it would not hesitate to enforce its immigration laws. “To those who are here legally, respect us as South Africans, respect our laws, respect our conventions and our traditions as you would want us to respect the laws and traditions of your country,” he stated, urging citizens to trust the law in the case of illegal immigrants.
Only that did not sound too reassuring about the highest authority’s readiness to confront xenophobes running wild in Mandiba’s country, did it?
