The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has decried attacks on foreign nationals by locals in South Africa on April 7, 2022.
The President General of NICASA, Mr Benjamin Okoli, made this known in a telephone interview with our correspondent Tuesday.
According to him, foreign nationals and their businesses were attacked in Diepsloot, a township north of Johannesburg.
Okoli said, “The attack started in the morning with locals going from shop to shop looting and burning shops owned by foreign nationals.
“A Zimbabwean national was caught by the locals, his legs tied and was set ablaze, while he was struggling the locals continued to hit him with sticks until he died.
“Nigerian business owners in the area were affected, their shops were looted and some looted shops were set alight.
Nigerians are engaged in different businesses in Diepsloot, selling of hairpieces and salon.
Nigerians in the area has evacuated to safer areas until the situation returns to normal.”
The president general said that the situation was encouraged by Operation Dudula activists who demanded that foreign nationals must leave South Africa, saying they spearheaded the attacks on foreigners, their businesses and demanded foreign nationals must leave.
He said the leader of the group, Mr Nhlanla Lux, who was recently granted bail in court over activities of his group, was present with his group during the attack.
He narrated that the South African Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Bheki Cele, arrived on the scene with teams of Police Officers in the township to tackle the situation.
“Cele assured the restive local community that he will return the following day, “Friday”, with officials of the Home Affairs and other officers to check house-to-house for undocumented foreign nationals.
“The local community had demanded that the foreign nationals must leave and they put particular emphasis on Nigerians, whom they accuse of dealing on drugs.
“This accusation has been a regular past time of most local South Africans who label Nigerians as drug dealers; NICASA branch leader in the Township, Evangelist Orlando, disagrees with the allegations.
“No Nigerian has ever been arrested in Diepsloot for drug dealing, nor has any Nigerian business owner in Diepsloot ever been caught in possession of drugs,” he added.
Okoli quoted the evangelist to have accused the locals of labeling Nigerians as drug dealers, to drive a narrative to stereotype and profile Nigerians.
He also said that the National Police Commissioner returned to the township on Friday with Immigration Officers, team of Police Officers and conducted house-to-house search, for undocumented foreign nationals in the township.
“The unprovoked attack against foreigners, particularly looting and destruction of Nigerians-owned businesses, is unwarranted and an unfortunate regular occurrence in South Africa.
“Nigerians have continued to be at the receiving end of this xenophobia attack with great losses and trauma; our compatriots are peace-loving people, who respect the laws of their host community and country.
“We suffered so much arising from xenophobia attacks, hate and stereotyping of our nationals, NICASA leaderships visited the area to see the grave situation our people faced during this unwarranted attack.
“We spoke with members of our community who narrated their near death experiences during the crisis, this is not the first time Nigerians have come under attack in Diepsloot.
“It happened in 2014 and the accusations had been that Nigerians are drug dealers, meanwhile, no Nigerian has ever been arrested in Diepsloot for dealing in drugs or in possession of it,” the NICASA boss also said.
He said that Mr Muhmmad Manta, Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, had been informed about the ugly development.
He further said that the Nigeria community members are afraid in Diepsloot and not sure of when to salvage what is left of their empty shops that were looted.
He, however, advised compatriots to remain calm, stay safe and out of trouble, while encouraging them to move out from Diepsloot to other areas, if they could.