South Africa has expressed concern over the call by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for the expulsion of South Africans and protest at South African owned businesses in Nigeria.
The country made its feelings known in a statement issued by Anna-Maria Jojozi, Counsellor in-charge of Political Affairs at the South African High Commission in Abuja on Sunday.
Ms Jojozi quoted Naledi Pandor (MP), Minister, International Relations and Cooperation, to have expressed the feeling at the South African Development Community (SADC) meeting held in South Africa on Sunday.
According to her, the killings are ‘devoid of truth, reckless and unwarranted’ and they do not reflect the strong relations that exist between the people and the Government of South Africa and Nigeria.
The counsellor expressed the government’s condolences to the family of the deceased, Mrs Elizabeth Ndubuisi-Chukwu, Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, who died in June and also to the citizens of Nigeria.
She also assured that the case is under investigation by the South African Police Service. But appealed that no one should abuse this unfortunate tragedy to generate negative sentiments about South Africa.
Ms Jojozi expressed the hope that the High Commission in Nigeria would invite some stakeholders of the student organisations leading the calls for protests against South African businesses in Nigeria to South Africa.
“To see that many Nigerians live in peace and harmony among South Africans, we would also ensure that delegation of members of the executive visit Nigeria to further strengthen our relations.
I hope their visit will help them to develop a different view from that which they have about South Africa,” she said.
