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S’Africa/Nigeria relations growing cold
The strained relationship between Nigeria and South Africa has gone to another level, Nigeria on Saturday recalled its ambassador to South Africa in the latest sign of African countries’ discontent at Pretoria’s handling of xenophobic attacks on foreigners.
The South African government in turn expressed displeasure over the move in a statement released by the South African government’s Department of International Relations and Co-operations.
It would be recalled that the relationship between the two countries took a bad turn when South Africa seized some monies allegedly meant to buy arms by Nigeria.
It was thought that bond was to be amended when South Africa promised to return the monies as a mark of goodwill for the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
But all that has changed as with the recent xenophobic attacks, Nigeria’s reaction, and South Africa’s recent statement.
The SA government described Nigeria’s decision to recall her envoy as an unfortunate and regrettable step, adding that only Nigeria has taken such a decision since the xenophobic attacks began, and that the South African government did not blame Nigeria when 84 of her citizens died in the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse some months back.
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Jedimaster
April 27, 2015 at 7:59 am
According to reports, South Africans don’t see themselves as regular Africans, along with Morrocans, Libyans, Tunisians and Egyptians, as if being on the continent gives them an option. Wierd despite all efforts invested by other African countries to end apartheid in South Africa. Perhaps the belief is that they are somehow superior. Judging from reports from how customers are treated in different South African embassies. What did they expect would happen when they started attacking foreign nationals? The ‘white’ South Africans however, seem unperturbed by the whole fracas.
If the transaction to buy arms was illegal then there is nothing wrog with seizure of the funds, however, if it was legal, then they have no right to confiscate those funds.
Xenophobia, where people are murdered and an unfortunate accident are two different things, it is ignorant to equate the two. They need to get their policies right and protect foreign nationals better.
It is unfortunate that in this modern era, we still witness such acts.
God help us regular Africans.
Gracious Store
April 27, 2015 at 6:17 pm
It is a shame that SA is take steps that is smearing her relationship with Nigeria. Nigeria was present to South Africans when they needed help the most, but unfortunately SA is “bitting the very finger that fed them.”
It is time that SA realizes that there is a limit to which Nigeria can tolerate their not just unfriendly gestures towards Nigeria but their outright hostility toward Nigeria. Recalling Nigeria ambassador to SA is only the first step, if SA government and the citizens of that country do not realize that countries are interdependent and that countries do much better when they open their doors to foreigners, then all South Africans in diaspora has to return to their country, hopefully Nigeria might be the first to show the South Africans in Nigeria the way back to their home country.