Xenophobic Attacks: South Africa Rejects Nigeria’s Compensation Demand
Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The South African government has rejected Nigeria’s request for compensation for citizens who abandoned businesses and properties while fleeing renewed xenophobic attacks, insisting that no government funds would be paid to affected foreign nationals.
The decision comes after the Nigerian government disclosed that it had begun documenting losses suffered by returnees, with Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, saying the records would serve as the basis for discussions on possible compensation.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissed the compensation proposal, arguing that legally owned assets could be sold through established property channels rather than abandoned.
She also made controversial remarks linking some Nigerian nationals to drug-related activities, saying, “We’ll be interested to know where the drug dens of Nigerians are. So, they can show us where they have been holding the drugs so that we can clean the drugs in South Africa quite urgently.”
Ntshavheni further argued that informal settlements do not qualify as recognised property under South African law, stating, “Squatter camps and informal settlements are never properties because they are illegal in the country. So, you are already violating our law if you are going to tell us about a shack in some informal settlement.”
Reaffirming Pretoria’s position, the minister declared, “So there’s no compensation that will come from the government. Those who leave their properties, if they are properly legally registered in the country, they can dispose of the properties in the property market in South Africa — whether it’s movable or immovable property. And we are going to seriously appreciate being told where the drug dens are.”
Ntshavheni also announced that the South African government had approved new measures to prevent demolished informal settlements from being re-established.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu 