The South African government has rejected a request by its Nigerian counterpart for compensation to citizens who left their businesses and properties behind while fleeing xenophobia attacks in that country.
The South African authorities instead said the fleeing Nigerians are drug dealers, and that it would be interested in knowing where their drug den are located.
Nigeria had said that it was compiling records of properties and businesses left behind by returnees as a basis for seeking compensation from South African authorities.
Earlier, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, said the Federal Government had begun documenting losses suffered by affected Nigerians to facilitate discussions on possible compensation.
However, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissed the proposal during a press conference on Friday, insisting that the government would not compensate anyone for properties left behind.
According to Ntshavheni, legally owned properties are officially registered with relevant authorities and can be sold through the country’s property market, while structures in informal settlements are illegal and therefore not recognised as legitimate property.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
She added: “So there’s no compensation that will come from 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 disclosed that the South African government had approved new measures to prevent the re-establishment of informal settlements after they are demolished.
The latest development follows renewed xenophobic violence targeting African migrants in South Africa, which forced many Nigerians to leave the country amid concerns over their safety.
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