Economic challenges in S’Africa cannot justify xenophobic attacks – Nigerian community leader

The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA), through its president Frank Onyekwelu, has once again voiced strong condemnation of xenophobic violence targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa. The recent protests in Gauteng Province, which devolved into assaults, harassment, and looting, underscore the persistent and deeply troubling issue of xenophobia in the country.

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Our position is very clear: no grievance, regardless of how serious it may be, should ever justify xenophobia, mob justice, or the targeting of innocent people based on nationality.

Onyekwelu's statement rightly points out that while South Africans may have legitimate grievances concerning socio-economic challenges such as high unemployment, crime, and pressure on public resources, these issues cannot be used as a justification for targeting innocent people based on their nationality. This is a critical distinction that often gets lost in the heat of such public anger, where foreign nationals are unfairly scapegoated.

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Many Nigerians in South Africa are legal residents, business owners, professionals, students, and contributors to the economy and society. They deserve protection under the law like every other resident of the country.

From a Nigerian perspective, the recurring nature of these attacks is a source of immense pain and frustration. Many Nigerians in South Africa are legal residents, business owners, professionals, and students who contribute significantly to the economy and society. They deserve the protection of the law and the right to live and work without fear of mob justice or targeted violence.

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South Africa, like many countries globally, faces genuine challenges relating to unemployment, crime, border control, and pressure on public resources. However, it is dangerous and unfair to reduce these complex socio-economic issues to anti-foreigner sentiments or to create the impression that foreign nationals are the primary cause of the country’s problems.

The call for calm, restraint, and responsible leadership from all stakeholders, including political leaders and law enforcement, is paramount. It is essential for South African authorities to address the root causes of these socio-economic problems and to ensure that law enforcement acts professionally against criminality, regardless of nationality. Criminality should never be ethnicized or nationalized, and fostering peaceful coexistence, African unity, and mutual respect remains the only viable path forward.

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Criminality must never be ethnicised or nationalised. We encourage Nigerians and other foreign nationals to remain calm, avoid confrontation, limit unnecessary movement in high-risk areas, and immediately report any threats or incidents to law enforcement agencies and community structures.