PHOTO NEWS: Resolution Against Xenophobic Attacks; South Africa Slams Nigeria For Withdrawing Envoys

Chairperson House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Abike Dabiri-Erewa (middle), South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mnguni and a committee member, Famurewa Ajibola during the presentation of resolution of the House of Representatives on the xenophobic attacks on African immigrants in South Africa in Abuja on Wednesday

South Africa has criticized Nigeria for recalling its ambassadors from the country following the spate of xenophobic attacks, which left no fewer than seven people dead.

A statement from Foreign Affairs Ministry said Acting High Commissioner Martin Cobham and Deputy High Commissioner Uche Ajulu-Okeke were on Saturday recalled for consultations.

But, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation’s Spokesperson Clayson Monyela said the decision to withdraw the two was an unfortunate and regrettable step. “If this action is based on the incidents of attacks on foreign nationals in some parts of our country, it would be curious for a sisterly country to want to exploit such a painful episode for whatever agenda,” he said.

The Nation report continues:

Monyela, however, added that South Africa would not withdraw its high commissioner in Nigeria to reciprocate the action.

He said the South African government was not sure why the ambassador was recalled.

“This stage, we are not sure which action by the South African government the Nigerian government is protesting. It’s important to underscore the fact that it’s only Nigeria that has taken this step.

A Nigerian delegation, which attended an Africa-Asia Summit in Indonesia alongside Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa last week had at no stage made their intentions known about withdrawing their ambassadors.

“South Africa remained committed to creating a strong bond and bilateral relations with Nigeria.

“It is for this reason that when 84 of our citizens perished on Nigerian soil, we did not blame the Nigerian government for the deaths and more than nine months delay in the repatriation of the bodies of our fallen compatriots, or for the fact that when these bodies eventually returned, they were in a state that they could not be touched or viewed as required by our burial practice,” said Monyela.

The 84 were part of a group of 116 that were killed when a guest house of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, headed by TB Joshua, collapsed in September last year.

Monyela said South Africa would raise its concerns through diplomatic channels with the new Nigerian administration, which will assume office next month.

He said his country remained committed to maintaining friendly relations with Nigeria.

Seven people were killed in a wave of anti-immigrant violence centered on areas of Durban and Johannesburg.

South Africa has been criticized by several governments, including China, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, for failing to protect foreigners from armed mobs.

Troops were deployed last week to hotspots in the two cities to try to quell the violence.