How Nigeria Committed South Africa to Ending Xenophobia
Saved under Legal Affairs, News, Nigeria, WESTERN AFRICA
Tags: Bi-National Commission, Early Warning Unit, Nigerian High Commission, South African Government, xenophobia
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Alex Enumah writes that with the recent establishment of the Early Warning Unit by both the Nigerian and South African Governments, end is now in sight for xenophobia in Southern African country
Relations between Nigeria and South Africa are both historical and strategic. The relations which according to the two countries are special date back to the era of the fight against apartheid in South Africa, when Nigeria though in the western region of Africa identified with and contributed in great measure to the emancipation of the people of South Africa.
This relationship has flourished over the years that today there are more than 120 South African businesses in major sectors of the Nigerian economy and with Nigerian professionals shaping development in South Africa.
“In Nigeria we cannot overestimate the role of South African business in the development of Nigeria, in telecommunication, be it in the media, television, retail sector, wholesale sector in our country, making real visible impact on our economic, social and cultural development and job creation that we see because South African investment in our country is enormous.
“So too here in South Africa, in almost every sector; universities, doctors, professors, engineers, all aspect of lives, you have Nigerians also helping to drive development of this country. So, we have so much holding us together,” says Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
At the national level, there have been high level visits and meetings between the two countries to the extent that a decision was taken to elevate the existing Bi-National Commission (BNC) to the Heads of State level in further demonstration of their collective desire to forge a special relationship.
The aim, according to Onyeama is to ensure that presidents of the two countries speak with one voice at all times, on issues of common interest in their countries, region, continent and globe.
However, this lofty ideal is on the verge of being destroyed by the recent xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals living in South Africa, especially Nigerians. In the February attack, though no life was lost, there was however, reported cases of body injuries and loss of properties estimated to be around N84m.
The grouse of the South Africans is that foreigners particularly, Nigerians were taking away the jobs that were meant for them. They also alleged that the high level of crimes such as drug, prostitution and kidnapping were perpetuated largely by foreigners in their country.
But whatever are reasons for the attacks, it did not go down well with Nigeria and Nigerians, who for the very first time, in their rage did not only call for reprisals on South African investments in Nigeria but embarked on a protest, with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) giving a 48-hour ultimatum to South African nationals to leave Nigeria. Also South African businesses such as Shoprite, MTN, MultiChoice and others were threatened.
To salvage the situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took the first diplomatic step by summoning the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, for explanation and position of the South African Government over the matter. Onyeama, also requested the envoy to facilitate a visit of a Nigerian delegation to South Africa to enable them find a lasting solution to the issue.
Convinced that the problem at hand could best be resolved through dialogue rather than being confrontational, the Federal Government of Nigeria sent a powerful delegation headed by Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior to meet with their South African counterpart as well as ascertain the well-being of Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa.
The decision to dialogue was based on Nigeria’s conviction that the attack was the action of a criminal minority which does not have the backing of the South African Government. According to Onyeama, the incident should not be allowed to define relations between the two countries.
He said, “Unfortunately for some time now there has been this incidence of attacks and Nigerians have been victims and we as a government have known that this was not state sponsored and that the South African Government always condemned this and that the South African people always condemned this and it was very often the action of a small minority, a small criminal minority.”
Speaking shortly after the meeting with the Nigerian delegates in Pretoria, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, also agreed that the two countries should not allow the attacks to dent their relationship. She disclosed that a mechanism has been put in place by both governments that would help curtail the rising wave of xenophobia and afrophobia in her country.
The early warning unit
The major fall out of the meeting of representatives of the Nigerian and South African Governments aimed at eradicating xenophobia as well as deepening bi-lateral relations was the establishment of the Early Warning Unit (EWU). The unit consists of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Immigration, Police and the Nigerian Union in South Africa. The unit is also replicated in Nigeria with members drawn from the counterpart bodies in Nigeria.
The EWU after its first meeting, within a few weeks from now, is expected to hold regular quarterly meetings where issues of mutual concerns are discussed and vital information shared in preventing conflicts among the host and their guests.
What this means is that before an outbreak of violence could occur, all parties would have been alerted and jointly take decision to quell it. The advantage is that Nigeria to a large extent is involved in taking decision alongside South Africa on crucial issues concerning them. Same thing goes for South African businessmen in Nigeria.
Also the EWU mechanism to a large extent will check alleged police complicity in crimes as they are now part of the EWU and whatever action they take is visible to all and reflected in their quarterly meetings.
The beauty of the EWU mechanism apart from making vital information available to all parties is that its report forms part of the agenda of the Bi-National Commission meetings at the level of Heads of State. This means that the Nigerian and South African Presidents are up to date with happenings to their citizens in each other’s country and can quickly intervene before things get out of hand.
Also, the critical issue of payment of compensation to victims of not just the February attacks but other attacks since the first in 2008 can now be looked into at the EWU.
“What we have achieved with this meeting is great. Our proposal was accepted. The Nigerian Union with South African government will now sit together to address issues of common interest. That is unique and you hardly find that anywhere,” Onyeama said.
Adding that, “They agreed to that because we engaged them. That is a concrete result which we could not have achieved if we had gone to the media.”
Security of lives and property
Another benefit of the visit was the assurances of the South African Government that it will do all within its powers to prevent future occurrence so as not to derail the collective visions of the two countries of a united Africa.
Onyeama said, “The government and people of South Africa are fully with us, fully supportive of Nigerians, welcoming Nigerians in this country and are taking all the necessary measures to ensure that Nigerians here are able to stay here in peace and security and that their properties and their rights will always be respected.”
Similarly, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation stating her country’s earlier condemnation of the incident and need for South Africa to heighten law enforcement, reiterated South Africa’s condemnation of all forms of discrimination based on race, religion, sex or creed, including xenophobia or afrophobia.
“I further affirmed South Africa’s constitutional democracy which enshrines human rights, bills of rights, democratic values, human dignity, equality and freedoms,” she added.
Restoring hope
What may be regarded as the hallmark of the visit to South Africa is the solidarity visit by the delegation to victims of the attacks. First, was an automobile workshop at 442 Christofell Street, Rebecca, Pretoria, where 28 vehicles were destroyed. The workshop belongs to one Simon Adeoye and partners. Next was a burnt property at House 225 Pretoria West, belonging to Abayomi Oyetoro who alleged police complicity in the mayhem. Also visited was another auto shop still in Pretoria West known as Nigerian embassy since almost all Nigerian tribes are said to be found in the workshop.
While they presented their plight to the Nigerian government and urged the government to urgently come to their rescue, they appreciated the ministers for taking time out to visit them and see things for themselves, noting that it was the very first of any Nigerian senior officials to do so since the inception of xenophobic attacks in 2008.
Both Onyeama and Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd) advised them to take inventory of all destroyed properties and collate them for onward presentation at the EWU, where the Nigerian government would exploit all legal avenues for their compensation.
President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyaene, who conducted the ministers round the scenes of destruction, thanked them for their solidarity and assured of their readiness to take advantage of the Early Warning Unit mechanism to prevent the perpetuation of violence in their host country.
Speaking later at a broader meeting of the delegation with representatives of the Nigerian community in South Africa, Anyaene said, “Your visit has reassured us that our government has not abandoned us and it has also given us an opportunity to present our challenges, though most of them have already been addressed.” He however advised that the government take conscious and urgent steps to revamp Nigeria’s economy so that a lot of them can return home.
On the alleged criminal activities of some Nigerians, Dambazau advised Nigerians to fish out those smearing the image of the country and report them accordingly. He also advised that the union in conjunction with the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa operate a register of all Nigerians as well as their professions.
Dambazau, also disclosed that as part of efforts aimed at addressing the challenges of obtaining Nigerian passports, the ministry was considering increasing the expiration period from five to 10 years. “Instead of having this passport validity for five years, we want to see the possibility of extending it to 10 years,” he said.
Other Nigerians, who commended the visit of the ministers, include former Nigerian international, Peterside Idah, who noted that South Africans would now think twice before doing anything since it is now obvious that Nigerians now have the backings of their home government.
“Formerly no one was talking; they were treating us who are foreigners like we didn’t have help coming from anywhere. But now it is obvious, they see that we have the government behind us they will treat us with more respect,” he said.
Idah however, urged the Nigerian delegation to pursue the issue of compensation to a logical conclusion, noting that until South Africans begin to pay compensation, the issue of xenophobia would not stop.
