Xenophobia: Ramaphosa apologises to Nigeria

THE President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa has tendered an apology to Nigeria over the increasing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.

The apology was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday at Presidential Villa, Abuja by the two special envoys he despatched to Nigeria over the horrendous attacks on foreigners living in South Africa.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, confirmed the development in a statement made available to State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja, said Buhari at the meeting recalled the sacrifices Nigeria made to free South Africa from the apartheid regime.

Adesina said President Buhari responded to profuse apologies from the South African President, pledging that relationship between the two countries “will be solidified,” while describing the xenophobic attacks as “very unfortunate.”

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President Buhari while receiving in audience, Mr Jeff Radebe, Special Envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, went down memory lane, recalling roles played by Nigeria in engendering majority rule in South Africa and ending the apartheid segregationist policy.

Buhari recounted that he was a junior military officer to Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo, who were military heads of state at different times in the mid to late 1970s.

He said: “Going back to historical antecedents, we made great sacrifices for South Africa to become a free state. I was a junior officer to Gen Murtala Muhammad and Gen Olusegun Obasanjo. They were not operating in a democracy, but they got Nigerians to support them in the bid to seeing a free South Africa.

“Our leadership was quite committed to the cause. We made sacrifices, which younger people of today may not know. During my last visit to South Africa with the late President Robert Mugabe, it was very emotional, as Mugabe spoke about Nigeria’s contribution to free South Africa,” he noted.

The President extended appreciation to President Ramaphosa, through the Special Envoy, “for coming to explain to us what happened in South Africa recently, leading to killing and displacement of foreigners.”

Earlier, Mr Radebe apologized on behalf of his President for what he called “acts of criminality and violence” that recently occurred, adding that “such do not represent our value system, nor those of the larger number of South Africans.”

He said South Africa was an integral part of Africa and is fully committed to peace and integration of the continent.

The Special Envoy disclosed that 10 people died during the attacks –two Zimbabweans and eight South Africans. He said there was no Nigerian casualty.

He added that South Africa remains eternally grateful for the role Nigeria played in ending apartheid and hoped that the coming visit of the Nigerian President would solidify the relationship between the two countries once again.

Radebe, said: “We met a short while ago with His Excellency, President Buhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convoy our President, Ramaphosa’s sincerest apologies about the incident that have recently transpired in South Africa.

“Those incidents do not represent what we stand for as a constitutional democracy in South Africa and the President has apologized for these incidents.

“He has also instructed law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned that all those involved must be brought to book so that the rule of law must prevail in South Africa.

“He also conveyed his fun memories of ensuring that both Nigeria and South Africa must continue to play a critical role in the rebuilding of Africa to attend the agenda 2063, the Africa that we want.

“We have also recalled with fun memories the historical times that exit between Nigeria and South Africa during the dark days of apartheid, we always knew that the Nigerian people and their government always stood behind our leaders who were fighting against the obnoxious system of apartheid.

“Even Nigerian families contributed to making sure that apartheid is ended and even though Nigeria is far from South Africa, it was regarded as the frontline state because of the principled stand that all leaders of Nigeria made to end the system of apartheid.

“We also remember among others a president Murtala Mohammed, who played a key and of course the founding father of the Nigerian nation, President Nnamdi Azikiwe.

“So, we believe that the crisis as the minister has just described must serve as an opportunity for us to make sure that the scourge of unemployment, poverty and inequality in the whole of Africa must be attended to by our leaders.

“We also expressed the President’s wish that when his excellency, President Buhari pay his state visit to South Africa on the 3rd of October, the bi-mission commission that exist between the two governments that has now been elevated to the heads which will serve as a forum to address all those issues of mutual concern about South Africa and Nigeria.

“I’m very happy to have been here to convey this message to President Buhari and leave with very good information that President Buhari has conveyed to us to take back to President Ramaphosa.”

On Nigeria’s insistence on the compensation to victims of the attacks, Radebe said, “during President Buhari’s state visit to South Africa, there will be detailed discussions which will be held there.

“I do understand that the issue of compensation, restitution is part of the agenda items in the draft of the Nigerian government has presented to South Africa.

“So I think we should wait until October 3rd to see how that unfolds. But I can indicate as a lawyer that the South African laws require that all registered companies must have public insurance in terms of things of this nature. But like I said that meeting will just be held,” he said.

On the numbers of those apprehended who attacked foreign nationals in the country, the South African special envoy said: “The law enforcement agencies are working day and night to apprehend all those involved in this unfortunate incidents.

“I’m told that more than 50 people have been arrested thus far. I think let’s wait until the whole issue has been resolved. It is a security cluster led by the minister of Defence as well as the minister of police that are working around the clock to make sure that all those that are alleged to be involved in these incidents are brought to book.”

On why it took South Africa so long to take this step since xenophobia is not a recent development, Radebe said: “This incident has been happening from time to time.

“I do recall recently that around 2008, it always concede with economic tough times in our country. As you know we are still emerging from the system of apartheid, where according to states South Africa the last unemployment rate was around 29 per cent.

“It seems to us that some of these incidents occur in areas where there is poverty, unemployment and fight for scares resources. But having said that, no amount of hunger, hardship justifies the looting of property, killings of people whether they are South Africans or foreigners. We regard that as an act of criminality.

“Obviously, there is an impact of this event on the economy and that is why the president at his level deemed it necessary to send us as special envoy, so that we record appropriately what steps and measures making as South Africa to deal with these methods.

“At the end of the day, we believe that the agenda 2063 the Africa we want is one that will help not only South Africa but the whole of Africa to unite around that common agenda of ensuring that our people, especially young people must believe that the future of Africa is bright.

“So, it is the responsibility therefore not only of governments of Nigeria and South Africa but of ordinary citizens to play theirs part in ensuring, that these incidents do not reoccur.”

Foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama on his part while speaking on if the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa has been recalled said, “he has not been recalled but he has been asked to come just to help in giving a comprehensive picture of events there as possible to Mr President.”

The Federal Government in the aftermath of the attacks, has commenced evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa, with the first batch of 187 returnees arriving the country last week.