Three people have been reportedly
killed and many properties destroyed in an attack on foreigners, including
Nigerians based in South Africa.
According to Adetola Olubajo,
president of the Nigeria Union South Africa, the attacks began on Sunday
morning in Jeppestown area of Johannesburg. He said the angry mob set a
building ablaze in the area.
“The mob also looted several shops
that were around the vicinity suspected to be owned by foreign nationals. But
the Police later dispersed the mob and made some arrests,’’ he said in a
statement.
“Late in the evening of Sunday,
September 1, a group of violent locals suspected to be Zulu hostel dwellers
besieged Jules Street in Malvern, Johannesburg looted and burned
shops/businesses.’’
According to witnesses living on
Jules street, the Zulu hostel dwellers were very organised and well-coordinated
in looting and burning of any shops/businesses suspected to be owned by foreign
nationals.
Olubajo said information gathered
by members of NUSA in Malvern area indicated that over 50 shops/businesses were
destroyed, looted and burnt overnight.
“Also, some businesses owned by
foreign nationals were looted in Germiston on Sunday evening. A Nigerian-owned
Internet Café and computer accessories business was among the looted shops in
Germiston,” he said.
“When I got the sad news late
yesterday (Sunday) evening, I immediately informed the Police in Jeppestown but
lots of damage had been done already.
“The means of livelihood of
people were looted and destroyed by fire overnight which has left many
Nigerians traumatised.
“Nigerian-owned businesses were
seriously affected. A car sales business owned by a Nigerian were among the
several businesses set ablaze over the night.
“Although the Police said that
many people had been arrested in connection with the unnecessary attacks, the
looting and burning of foreign-owned businesses continued till Monday morning.”
He added that properties and
businesses belonging to foreign nationals worth millions of Rands had been lost
to looting and burning in the past week at different locations in Pretoria and
Johannesburg.
Olubajo said that there was
massive protest march in different parts of Johannesburg which were targeted at
foreign nationals, noting that some of the areas affected by the violent
protest march were Rosettenville, Turfontein, Germison, Primrose and Silverton
in Pretoria.
“We implore the security
operatives to be proactive and not reactive as many long years hard-earned
investments have been lost through looting, destruction and burning,” he said.
“Our government officials should
also seriously engage their counterparts in South Africa.
“This proactive move will go a
long way to prevent further loss of properties and even lives. The situation is
tensed and very dangerous for foreign nationals, hence, we implore Nigerians in
South Africa, most especially in Gauteng Province to be vigilant and stay
safe.”
This comes three days after
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa met with President Muhammadu Buhari
in Japan.
Ramaphosa had told his Nigerian
counterpart that efforts were in place to stop the attacks on Nigerians.
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