Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has condemned the xenophobic attacks against immigrants in South Africa, blaming the leadership of President Jacob Zuma for not acting.
Obasanjo condemned the attacks and intimidation of Nigerians living in that country.
He spoke on Wednesday in Abeokuta when he received the leadership of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS) Kuru, who paid him a courtesy call.
He blamed the development on the “laxity and insincerity” of the South African government.
He described the development as “betrayal” of the struggle for the emancipation of the country against the apartheid regime.
Obasanjo called on African heads of government to provide good leadership for their citizens as part of efforts to enhance regional integration.
He also stressed the need for the leaders to ensure good governance for the overall development of the continent.
He said: “I will apportion more blame to the leadership of the South African government.
“While the immaturity of the youths can be excused, the leaders ought to realise the importance of unity and brotherliness in Africa.
“While I blame the youths of the country for the attacks, I will blame the leaders of any country more that allows xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans for whatever reason.
“African leaders should also step up measures at developing their countries and improve the living standards of their citizens.
“This will discourage our youths who because of under development and poor living standard seek greener pastures outside their countries.
“I feel disheartened learning that many of our youths perish while crossing the Sahara Desert or the Mediterranean Sea”.
The Centre for Human Rights is proud to introduce Dr Romola Adeola, its youngest doctoral graduate.
The Institution writes in it’s website, At just 26 years of age, Romola has set a record in being the youngest person to obtain a Doctor of Laws degree (LLD) in the 30-year history of the Centre for Human Rights.
Furthermore, she is only the second youngest person to achieve this in the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria since its establishment 107 years ago. She distinguished herself by completing the LLD in under 3 years.
This record is in keeping with a pattern of excellence which Romola has maintained since her undergraduate years at Lagos State University (LASU) where she was awarded the Taslim Olawale Elias Prize for the Best Student in International Law.
Romola’s relationship with the Centre for Human Rights began from her participation in the 2008 African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. In 2012, she was selected as a DAAD scholar to study for the LLM/MPhil degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa. She graduated cum laude, earning two awards: the Kéba M’Baye award for the overall Best Dissertation and the Victor Dankwa prize for the Best Performance in the module: Human Rights in Africa.
Her excellent record earned her admission to the Centre’s doctoral programme in 2013. Her thesis, supervised by Prof Frans Viljoen was titled Development-induced displacement in Africa: Striking a balance between the imperative of development and the rights of persons likely to be displaced. In her thesis, Romola analyzed the obligation in article 10 of the African Union Convention in relation to the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa. Her study, one of the first on this Convention, focused specifically on development-induced displacement which is one of the root causes of internal displacement in Africa.
Nigeria has complained to South Africa about a wave of attacks targeting foreigners and called on Pretoria to punish the culprits and compensate the victims, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Junior foreign minister Musiliu Obanikoro summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner Lulu Mnguni “to register Nigeria’s protest over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa”.
“In the meeting, ambassador Obanikoro condemned the attacks on foreigners in South Africa, expressing concern on the fate of Nigerians and indeed of other nationals who are migrants in the country,” said a statement from his office.
South Africa needed to take “concrete steps to quell the unrest and bring the culprits involved to book” to act as a deterrent and prevent further violence, the statement added. “He also called on the South African authorities to compensate the victims of these attacks,” the ministry said. Soldiers were deployed overnight to tackle gangs hunting down and killing foreigners after at least seven people died in violence in the last few weeks. On Wednesday, police said 11 men were arrested in a raid in Johannesburg.
The Odua Peoples Congress has given the South African government 48 hours to stop the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa or face its wrath.
The founder of the OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, said this during a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday. Fasehun reminded South Africa that it had several business interests in Nigeria.
He said, “While the Nigerian government and the rest of the world seek a diplomatic solution to this season of madness, the OPC hereby warns that South Africa must end this rash of xenophobia within 48 hours. These ill-advised attacks are capable of bringing out the beast in the best of men. And we will not watch as fellow Nigerians are wantonly killed in cold blood.
“Enough is enough. South Africans must know that nobody has a monopoly of violence. They must halt the killings, the maiming and the looting of foreigners’ shops in their country. These incidents of xenophobia will provoke reprisals against South Africans and their interests in other lands.
“Thus, beginning with the belligerent Zulu King, all South Africans involved in these attacks should be arrested immediately and prosecuted for crimes against humanity.”
When asked to specify what exactly the OPC would do if the South African government failed to heed to its demand, Fasehun said, “South Africa has many business interests in Nigeria but of course, you do not expect me to reveal what we will do until the time is right.”
Fasehun said it was unfortunate that South Africans were hostile to Nigerians despite the fact that Nigeria spent over $60bn to tackle apartheid and oppression in the country.
While displaying photographs of foreigners who were lynched in South Africa, Fasehun said the irony was that many of those being attacked had contributed to the economic growth of South Africa.
He said, “These attacks are a mark of ingratitude against Nigeria, which is estimated to have spent over $60bn on the South Africa’s struggle to break the chains of apartheid and secure independence.”
A diplomat at the South African High Commission in Malawi said hundreds of people protested outside the commission in the capital, Lilongwe, against anti-immigrant attacks in South Africa.
The commission’s Welcome Simelane said on Tuesday that it was a peaceful protest and demonstrators handed over a petition to High Commissioner Cassandra Mbuyane-Mokone. Malawi’s information minister Kondwani Nankhumwa said nearly 400 Malawians arrived home on Monday, travelling overnight by bus from South Africa.
Police said there was no new violence reported in Johannesburg and surrounding areas.
South Africa’s national team will play two international friendly matches against neighbouring countries in a bid to sensitize the public on the evils of xenophobia, the South African Football Association, SAFA, announced on Sunday.
Xenophobic attacks by South Africans against foreigners, particularly those of African descent has badly dented the image of the country in recent days. “We want to use the two high-profile international friendly matches as an instrument to unite this continent,” said SAFA CEO Dennis Mumble.
“What has been happening in the past few days have really left most people in a shock and dismayed.”
He said Nelson Mandela spoke of the power of sport in uniting people from different walks of life “and we want to use the power of football to unite this continent and kick out this scourge within certain malcontents in our society.”
The details of the two international friendly matches will be announced by SAFA shortly. South Africa has in recent days witnessed a spate of some of the most violent xenophobic attacks with at least seven people killed in Durban and Johannesburg. “We are one continent, one Africa, we are all Africans and we say no to xenophobia,” Mumble added.
MultiChoice Africa, the continent’s premier pay-TV company, has described as appalling the violence being visited on foreigners in South Africa.
In a statement issued on April 16, MultiChoice Africa said those affected by the wave of anti-foreigner violence are brothers and sisters to their assailants.
This, the company said, is abominable and strongly condemnable.
It urged Africans to see themselves as one irrespective of differences in nationalities, traditions and religions because Africa’s potential is realisable only through unity.
“As a multicultural African organisation, we respect and embrace diversity, and all the different traditions and religions across the continent.
“This is demonstrated through our multinational staff complement, rich African programming and channels on both our DStv and GOtv platforms.
“Our condolences go to the families and friends of those who have been affected or lost their lives in these mindless and unforgivable acts of violence,” the statement said.
Some South Africans have protested against the xenophobic attacks
The upsurge in xenophobic violence in South Africa that started in the port city of Durban a few weeks ago has angered African countries, many of whose citizens have been targeted.
Foreign-owned shops have also been attacked and looted in Johannesburg, which experienced the worst of similar violence in 2008.
African nations feel particularly affronted by the attacks, given the support the continent gave to South Africa during its long fight against white-minority rule. Here are some reactions:
Zambia: Music blackout and boycott
Zambia’s biggest private radio station Q FM has announced on its Facebook pagethat it has “indefinitely blacked out the playing of South African music in protest against xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals taking place in that country”.
The radio station now features a special protest logo on its Facebook page
“We need to send a clear message to South Africans that violence on fellow Africans negates African unity which the forefathers of the continent fought for,” the station said.
Protesters in Zambia were encouraged to wear black using the hashtag #blackfriday
Earlier, a small group of Zambian protesters went to the South African High Commission in Lusaka to complain about the xenophobia, reports the BBC’s Meluse Kapatamoyo.
Malumbo Siwale in Zambia tweeted using the hashtag #blackfriday, which has been trending on twitter in Zambia: “Not buying or using South African products today, fight #xenophobia by pressuring the #SA govt to act #blackfriday”.
Mozambique: Mine and gas workers evacuated
A road block has been set up near the Ressano Garcia border post with South Africa by a group of people who are stopping vehicles with South African number plates from entering the country and reportedly stoning some of them.
Mozambican workers at mining and gas companies have also protested about the violence, downing tools on Thursday demanding that South African employees leave – and that their jobs should be taken by those fleeing the violence in South Africa, says the BBC’s Jose Tembe.
South Africa’s largest oil producer Sasol is repatriating 340 South Africans from Mozambique
South African petrochemicals firm Sasol and Brazilian mining giant Vale have since evacuated some of its foreign workers.
The government has asked people not to retaliate against South Africans and urged Mozambican not to go to South Africa – some make the trip from the capital, Maputo, to go shopping at the weekend – so the situation does not escalate. An anti-xenophobia march in Maputo is also planned for Saturday.
A Mozambican youth group has posted this suggestion on its Facebook page: “In view of the xenophobic disgrace coming from South Africa, the Youth Parliament advocates that electricity and gas supplies to South Africa be suspended until [South Africa’s President] Jacob Zuma comes to Mozambique to redeem himself.”
Malawi: Goods boycott call
There have been calls for people to stop buying South African goods and services, spearheaded by John Kapito, executive director of the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA).
“We’re urging Malawians to boycott all South African shops and goods,” he told the BBC.
“We’re giving them one week to close their shops. On Friday next week we will physically close all South African shops like Shoprite and Game, if they don’t close on their own. If they don’t want us in their country, we don’t want their goods here too.”
Billy Mayaya, an activist in the capital, Lilongwe, has said that there are street demonstration planned next Tuesday, where protesters will deliver a petition to the South African High Commission – two days after the government plans to begin the repatriation of some of its citizens from South Africa.
Zimbabwe: Protest and artist boycott calls
The protesters sang the South Africa national anthem Nkosi Sikelela’ iAfrica (God Bless Africa)Riot police dispersed the protesters
Riot police in the capital, Harare, dispersed a crowd of protesters outside the South African embassy after they tried to force open the gates.
They were singing the South African national anthem Nkosi Sikelela’ iAfrica (God Bless Africa) and the deputy ambassador eventually came out to receive their petition.
Hashtags about xenophobia are trending – and the BBC’s Brian Hungwe in Harare says there are some messages going around on WhatsApp encouraging people to boycott South African acts at the upcoming Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), which runs from 28 April to 2 May – but no artists have cancelled.
Zimbabwe’s state-owned Chronicle reports that repatriation documents for 1,000 Zimbabweans in Durban have been arranged and the evacuation will begin on Sunday.
Nigeria: MPs debate action
Lawmakers in the lower house passed a motion on Thursday to recall the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa for consultations over the attacks. But an amendment calling for Nigeria to sever diplomatic ties with South Africa was defeated.
The MPs also debated whether to use existing legislation to put pressure on South African businesses in Nigeria if the attacks continued.
As South Africa is now in the news for the wrong reason of xenophobic attack, the UK Guardian has reported on how the attack has affected several families, with special emphasis on one Fungai Chopo’s family. The paper reported that Chopo was working as a builder while his wife, Memory, was hired as a maid, and they shared a decent house with their two children. With their new job; joblessness, hunger and poverty that had confronted them from their home in Zimbabwe came to an abrupt end. This however could not last for too long due to the ongoing xenophobic attack in South Africa.
According to the report, few minutes before midnight of a particular day, about 15 men burst into Chopo’s family home, punched him to the point of death and blood gushed out of him. They threatened to kill the family. They equally stole all they had.
With the development, they are now like other unfortunate blacks resident in South Africa who are taking refuge in crowded tents in heavily guarded transit camp.
As shocking photos and videos of xenophobic attacks against African immigrants by South Africans shocks the world,the Nigerian Minister of State II for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said that from available information from the Mission in South Africa, no Nigerian casualty has been ascertained in the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.He said the situation is being closely monitored and the Jonathan-led government will do all to protect its citizens in South Africa.
He said,
“from the information emanating from our Mission in South Africa, no Nigerian casualty has been ascertained.”Our Acting High Commissioner to South Africa is in Durban right now to ensure the safety of Nigerian citizens in the affected areas. Our Acting High Commissioner to South Africa has the directive of our Government to address all issues arising from the crisis, ” he posted on Twitter.
Malawi says it will repatriate its nationals from South Africa, following an upsurge in xenophobic violence. At least five foreigners, including a 14-year-old boy, have been killed in attacks in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban since last week.
Some foreign-owned shops in the main city Johannesburg have shut amid fears that the violence could spread. Zimbabwe has also condemned the attacks, blamed on locals who accuse foreigners of taking their jobs.
Tens of thousands of foreigners, mostly from other African states and Asia, have moved to South Africa since white-minority rule ended in 1994. At least 62 people died in xenophobic attacks that swept South Africa in 2008.
