Xenophobic uprising in South Africa (Courtesy: Zambianobserver.com)
By Atilade Atoyebi
The tenuous and fledgling relationship between Nigeria and South Africa has finally come to a head. Historians talk about remote causes and immediate causes of an occurrence. These two perspectives we can find in the narratives of the current crisis that has shaken the tie between both countries to its foundation.
On the part of South Africa, the white minority domination of the black majority under the despicable apartheid policy ended in 1994 with the conduct of a general election that Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress, ANC won hands down. Even before the demise of apartheid, nationals of neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and others had supplied labour mainly to South African mines. After 1994’s triumph of the black majority over the while minority, the nature of migration to South Africa took a different turn. The country became the first place of choice for those who were interested in commerce and business. Truly, what started as migration in trickles became a rush by citizens of the frontline states, Nigeria included, which assisted the nascent country to gain freedom from white domination and oppression.
The rush has got the government and people of South Africa perplexed, worried and now angry. Over the years after apartheid, foreigners from other African countries have come under sporadic attacks for the most elementary provocation deliberately or inadvertently initiated by either side—the foreigners and South Africans. Apparently, Nigerians in South Africa have dominated the population of nationals from other African countries residing in South Africa. They are known to have delved into commerce and some small scale industries.
The immediate cause of the current upheaval between South Africans and nationals of other African countries domiciled in South Africa was the alleged death of a South African taxi driver. The pent up anger of both the government and people of South Africa against the people they now describe as invaders of their country—a matter that has been smoldering over the years is what has blown up now. That is the remote cause of what is playing out now. Sporadic attacks on nationals of other African countries are now ceaseless. Lives are being lost and properties are being destroyed.
The Cyril Ramaphosa government in South Africa has taken the usual and convenient diplomatic position that the Administration condemns xenophobic attacks in any form and for whatever reason. However, some officials of the government have justified the uprising against fellow Africans from other nations. The video of the statement by South African Deputy Minister of Police Affairs which has gone viral leveled against the foreign nationals, allegations of drug peddling, the turning of young South African girls into drug pushers and users as well as prostitutes, full occupation of housing estates meant for South Africans by these foreign nationals among other issues. On the part of ordinary South Africans is the allegation that their fellow Africans swarming their country and taking all the jobs that they are supposed to be doing.
In all these, reports from South Africa said that five Nigerians have been killed in the latest attacks on persons and businesses of foreign black nationals. There have been reprisal attacks on what are considered South African businesses in Nigeria. Shoprite and MTN, a telecom company have been worse hit. Unfortunately, Shoprite is a franchise acquired by Nigerian businessmen that are the owners of virtually all the stores located in them. Nigerians and not South Africans work in the shopping malls. Even for MTN, there are individual Nigerians with appreciable stakes in the company, not to talk of the fact that the company has been quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange where ordinary persons now own shares.
Nevertheless, the narratives in the social media here is that South Africans are ingrates considering the role Nigeria played in salvaging their countries from the stranglehold of apartheid. The verdict is that no matter the grouse South Africans hold against Nigerian emigrants in their midst, they ought to know that there would have been no South Africa today but for the sacrifices of other countries with Nigeria playing prominent roles. So if Nigerians have been unhappy about the way their brothers and sisters are being treated in South Africa, this is the time to act, although some observers have said that attacks on the businesses mentioned about have been mob actions and not well-reasoned retaliations. This is more so in that South Africans don’t run conspicuous small commercial businesses as Nigerians do across South Africa. A curious person even asked, “When was the last time you met a South African on the Street of Lagos, not to talk of other Nigerian cities?”
On the part of the Nigerian government, the recent meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa in Yokohama, Japan, venue of the Japan/African summit did not yield any tangible result. The riotous situation in South Africa escalated shortly after that meeting. This may be the immediate reason why the Nigerian government has sent what it called ‘high powered delegation’ to South Africa to engage the government of that country on the need for cessation of ‘xenophobic’ attacks on Nigerians. Then the second step. Nigeria has recalled her High Commissioner to South Africa. South Africa has reciprocally closed its High Commission in Nigeria. These are signs of diplomatic tension between the two countries. Some Nigerians are even urging the Buhari Administration to outrightly cut Nigeria’s diplomatic tie with South Africa. The implications of that move may be more serious that can be appreciated now.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian Airline has offered to bring back to the country, Nigerians in South Africa willing to return home. Whether or not this gesture has the blessing of the Nigerian government is yet to be seen. Besides, will Nigerians that have made South Africa their home harken the call on them to leave their investments behind and come back here to start afresh? Maybe the ones among them that have been incapacitated physically or suffered loss in business will take the offer to return to Nigeria.
For now, all is not well between the two largest economies in Africa. Will Nigerians resident in South Africa reconsider their future in that country? Can diplomacy save the situation? Where will sanity come from? Time will tell.
By Atilade Atoyebi
The tenuous and fledgling relationship between Nigeria and South Africa has finally come to a head. Historians talk about remote causes and immediate causes of an occurrence. These two perspectives we can find in the narratives of the current crisis that has shaken the tie between both countries to its foundation.
On the part of South Africa, the white minority domination of the black majority under the despicable apartheid policy ended in 1994 with the conduct of a general election that Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress, ANC won hands down. Even before the demise of apartheid, nationals of neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and others had supplied labour mainly to South African mines. After 1994’s triumph of the black majority over the while minority, the nature of migration to South Africa took a different turn. The country became the first place of choice for those who were interested in commerce and business. Truly, what started as migration in trickles became a rush by citizens of the frontline states, Nigeria included, which assisted the nascent country to gain freedom from white domination and oppression.
The rush has got the government and people of South Africa perplexed, worried and now angry. Over the years after apartheid, foreigners from other African countries have come under sporadic attacks for the most elementary provocation deliberately or inadvertently initiated by either side—the foreigners and South Africans. Apparently, Nigerians in South Africa have dominated the population of nationals from other African countries residing in South Africa. They are known to have delved into commerce and some small scale industries.
The immediate cause of the current upheaval between South Africans and nationals of other African countries domiciled in South Africa was the alleged death of a South African taxi driver. The pent up anger of both the government and people of South Africa against the people they now describe as invaders of their country—a matter that has been smoldering over the years is what has blown up now. That is the remote cause of what is playing out now. Sporadic attacks on nationals of other African countries are now ceaseless. Lives are being lost and properties are being destroyed.
The Cyril Ramaphosa government in South Africa has taken the usual and convenient diplomatic position that the Administration condemns xenophobic attacks in any form and for whatever reason. However, some officials of the government have justified the uprising against fellow Africans from other nations. The video of the statement by South African Deputy Minister of Police Affairs which has gone viral leveled against the foreign nationals, allegations of drug peddling, the turning of young South African girls into drug pushers and users as well as prostitutes, full occupation of housing estates meant for South Africans by these foreign nationals among other issues. On the part of ordinary South Africans is the allegation that their fellow Africans swarming their country and taking all the jobs that they are supposed to be doing.
In all these, reports from South Africa said that five Nigerians have been killed in the latest attacks on persons and businesses of foreign black nationals. There have been reprisal attacks on what are considered South African businesses in Nigeria. Shoprite and MTN, a telecom company have been worse hit. Unfortunately, Shoprite is a franchise acquired by Nigerian businessmen that are the owners of virtually all the stores located in them. Nigerians and not South Africans work in the shopping malls. Even for MTN, there are individual Nigerians with appreciable stakes in the company, not to talk of the fact that the company has been quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange where ordinary persons now own shares.
Nevertheless, the narratives in the social media here is that South Africans are ingrates considering the role Nigeria played in salvaging their countries from the stranglehold of apartheid. The verdict is that no matter the grouse South Africans hold against Nigerian emigrants in their midst, they ought to know that there would have been no South Africa today but for the sacrifices of other countries with Nigeria playing prominent roles. So if Nigerians have been unhappy about the way their brothers and sisters are being treated in South Africa, this is the time to act, although some observers have said that attacks on the businesses mentioned about have been mob actions and not well-reasoned retaliations. This is more so in that South Africans don’t run conspicuous small commercial businesses as Nigerians do across South Africa. A curious person even asked, “When was the last time you met a South African on the Street of Lagos, not to talk of other Nigerian cities?”
On the part of the Nigerian government, the recent meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa in Yokohama, Japan, venue of the Japan/African summit did not yield any tangible result. The riotous situation in South Africa escalated shortly after that meeting. This may be the immediate reason why the Nigerian government has sent what it called ‘high powered delegation’ to South Africa to engage the government of that country on the need for cessation of ‘xenophobic’ attacks on Nigerians. Then the second step. Nigeria has recalled her High Commissioner to South Africa. South Africa has reciprocally closed its High Commission in Nigeria. These are signs of diplomatic tension between the two countries. Some Nigerians are even urging the Buhari Administration to outrightly cut Nigeria’s diplomatic tie with South Africa. The implications of that move may be more serious that can be appreciated now.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian Airline has offered to bring back to the country, Nigerians in South Africa willing to return home. Whether or not this gesture has the blessing of the Nigerian government is yet to be seen. Besides, will Nigerians that have made South Africa their home harken the call on them to leave their investments behind and come back here to start afresh? Maybe the ones among them that have been incapacitated physically or suffered loss in business will take the offer to return to Nigeria.
For now, all is not well between the two largest economies in Africa. Will Nigerians resident in South Africa reconsider their future in that country? Can diplomacy save the situation? Where will sanity come from? Time will tell.