The Trade Union Congress has called on the Federal
Government to immediately recall the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa
over the killing of Nigerians and other Africans by some South Africans.
The President of the TUC, Mr. Bala Kaigama, who made the
call in a statement on Monday, also urged the Federal Government to take urgent
steps to evacuate Nigerians from the former apartheid enclave.
Kaigama said the call was necessitated by the need to stop
the situation in South Africa from snowballing into a major crisis.
The TUC’s President noted that there seemed to be connivance
between the government and security agencies in South Africa to perpetrate the
killing of innocent Nigerians and Africans in order to take over their
properties.
Kaigama stated that the killing of Nigerians must be stopped
forthwith as the country would not accept the murder and maiming of its
citizens as a sacrifice for a cordial relationship with South Africa.
He noted that Nigerians had not killed South Africans in
spite of the fact that they had multi-billion naira investments in the country.
The TUC leader said South Africa had over 100 companies such
as MTN, Shoprite and DSTV in the country, which had all been involved in
anti-labour practices but had yet to be shut down.
Kaigama added, “From all indications, it appears there is a
grand conspiracy by the government cum state security apparatus to continue to
mindlessly waste lives and take over properties of innocent and harmless fellow
Africans.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to put modalities
in place to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa and recall the High Commissioner
immediately to save the situation as further killing may lead to a major
crisis.
“They own several multi-billion dollar investments on our
soils; yet, we co-exist despite all odds. This killing and duhumanisation of
Nigerians must stop. Not anymore; this must stop!
“If killing and maiming of Nigerians is the sacrifice
required for us to maintain a cordial relationship, we are not willing to take
it anymore.”
He described the anger of the South Africans against fellow
Africans as misplaced and one borne out of inferiority complex from years of
oppression during the apartheid regime.
He urged the African Union and the United Nations to caution
South Africans “and to let them know that no individuals or country has a
monopoly of violence.”
He stated, “How do we refer to this anti-Nigeria, nay Africa
attitude? One wonders what these South Africans are turning into. Is it a case
of ingratitude or lack of historical documentation by their leaders, of the
unmatched leadership role Nigeria played in the 80s towards the dismantling of
apartheid?
“It is on record that thousands of South African children
were brought to Nigeria and distributed across all the unity schools in Nigeria
and were fed and housed free courtesy of Nigerian government and Nigerians.
“They were welcomed with open arms! How have their youths
missed this history that Nigerians have become objects for destruction in
modern day South Africa?”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian community in South Africa said on Monday
that another shop belonging to a member
was looted in the latest xenophobic attack at Jeppestown, Johannesburg.
The President, Nigeria Union, South Africa, Mr. Ikechukwu
Anyene, told the News Agency of Nigeria on the telephone from Pretoria that the
shop was looted on Sunday night.
“We have received information that there was an overnight
attack on shops belonging to foreigners at Jeppestown, a business district in
Johannesburg.
“A shop belonging to a Nigerian was affected. The goods in the shop were looted by the
attackers. The Nigerian was not hurt during the attack,” he said.
Anyene stated that attempts made to loot another shop
belonging to a Nigerian failed as the
owner called the police.
He said the value of items lost in the affected shop
had not been ascertained while
the incident had been reported to
the Nigerian Mission and the South African
police.
Meanwhile, a Ghanaian lawmaker, Okudzeto Ablakwa has called
on the African Union to take action against South Africa.
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