Air Peace stewardess and Nigerian returnees disembarking the evacuation flight from South Africa last week. Hundreds of foreign nationals affected by the attacks in South Africa, including Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Nigerians, were airlifted to their home countries / Photo: NIDCOM

South Africa sends envoys to seven countries over xenophobic attacks

South Africa has begun efforts to mend fences with African countries whose nationals were victims of recent xenophobic attacks targeted at foreign African residents in the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched three special envoys to seven African countries to deliver messages of pan-African unity and solidarity following xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the Presidency said on Sunday.

The special envoys– Jeff Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo and Dr Khulu Mbatha, would deliver a message from Ramaphosa regarding the xenophobic violence against on foreign nationals and the destruction of their property in some parts of South Africa, presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said.

“The envoys are tasked with reassuring fellow African countries that SA is committed to the ideals of Pan-African unity and solidarity. The envoys will also reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law,” Diko said.

The envoys who visited Nigeria on Monday will also go to Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

The South African envoys visited President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria on Monday. Picture here are President Buhari with L-R: Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, Special Adviser to South African President Dr. K. Mbatha, Special Envoy Jeff Radebe, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s President, Abba Kyari, Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, and Ambassador of Nigeria to South Africa, Kabiru Bala, as he receives Special Envoy from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in the State House on 16 Sep 2019 / Photo: Femi Adesina/Facebook

 

The envoys will brief governments in the African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account, Diko said.

South Africa has been hit by a new spate of violence for the past few weeks. At least 12 people, including 10 South Africans and two foreigners, have been killed.

Last week, hundreds of foreign nationals affected by the attacks in South Africa, including Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Nigerians, were airlifted to their home countries.

READ ALSO South Africa apologises to Nigeria over xenophobic attacks

Xenophobia-related attacks are common in South Africa where foreigners from other African countries are blamed for taking up employment that should have been taken by locals and some of them are also blamed for criminality.

Analysts say the fence-mending efforts are to assuage the anger in African countries where South African companies are very active.

Businesses owned by foreign nationals burnt by rioters in Johannesburg /Photo: NiA

 

Ramaphosa felt the hostility at the funeral of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in Harare, where the crowd booed him throughout his speech. In Nigeria, some youths attacked South African businesses and embassy to express their outrage over the attacks against their compatriots in South Africa and they have been calls for the boycott of South African-owned companies.

There have been protests as well in DR Congo and Zambia while the chairman of Nigeria’s ruling party APC, Adams Oshiomole, has even called for the nationalisation of some of the firms.

Kola Tella

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