South Africa authority rules out compensation for chase away Nigerians

Nigerians who were forcefully chased away from South Africa due to the xenophobia attack and who left their belongings behind shall not be compensation, the South Africa authority has said.

The former apartheid riddled African nation in past months mounted attack against their African migrants that saw them being evacuated by their respective governments.

Advertisements

South Africa reacted on Saturday to demands made by the Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi.

The High Commissioner revealed that the Nigerian government was compiling
records of businesses and properties left behind by returnees.

Advertisements

Advertisements

According to him, the record would be used as an item of discussion and negotiation for compensation.

South Africa’s Minister in the presidency,
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, speaking at a press conference on Friday ruled the possibility of government compensation.

Ntshavheni explained South African authorities have record of legitimate properties, while informal settlements were illegal and unrecognised.

She said, “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 a movable or immovable property.”

The Minister challenged Nigeria government to provide information on locations allegedly used for drug-related activities.

“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 said.

She added, “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.”

Ntshavheni said the South African government had approved measures to prevent informal settlements from being rebuilt after demolitions.

Advertisements

Advertisements