The Nigerian community in South Africa
monday said that another shop belonging to a member was looted in the
latest xenophobic attack at Jeppestown, Johannesburg.
Mr. Ikechukwu Anyene, President of the
Nigeria Union, South Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
the phone 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.
“We also learnt that shops belonging to other foreigners were also looted,” 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.
“We have told Nigerians to adopt protective measures to save their businesses and homes.
“The union is in touch with the Nigerian mission and our chapters in the nine provinces of South Africa are also on alert.
“They have been directed to sensitise
our people on the situation in the country and to be cautious in all
their endeavours,” he said.
The South African police monday said no
fewer than 100 people ransacked shops in Johannesburg overnight, in a
fresh wave of xenophobic attacks in South African cities, reported
Reuters.
“We are following up on leads and we are expecting to make more arrests,” police spokesman Brig. Mathapelo Peters said.
She said she did not know the
nationalities of the shopkeepers and the police were waiting for owners
to come forward, so that they could open cases of violence and damage to
property.
Similar incidents have taken place in
Pretoria this month, but the police have been reluctant to characterise
the attacks as being directed against foreigners.
Anti-immigrant violence has flared
sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record
unemployment, with foreigners being accused of criminal activities and
taking jobs from locals.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on
Friday acknowledged violence had flared up against foreigners this year,
saying that “unfortunately, xenophobic violence is not new in South
Africa”.
On Friday, police fired tear gas, water
cannon and rubber bullets to disperse marches by hundreds of
anti-immigrant protesters in Pretoria, after mobs looted stores believed
to belong to immigrants.
More than 150 people were arrested.
Also, a Reuters witness said doors and windows were smashed in, and food
and other items were strewn on the floor in stores believed to belong
to immigrants in Jeppestown, an area in the central business district.
“We’ve been stuck inside here until the
police came,” Abdul Ebrahim, a Somali shop owner, said after emerging
from his store, where a number of his colleagues had barricaded
themselves.
“No one told us what they were looking
for,” he added when asked why the mob had attacked his shop. At least
one person was arrested.
The Nigerian Government on Thursday
urged the South African government to put in place measures to end the
incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
Minister of State, Foreign Affairs,
Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, gave the directive in Abuja when she met with the
High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, for
the second time on the issue.
The ministry had on Monday, February 20, summoned the South Africa High Commissioner over the same matter.
Nigerian buildings, property and places
of worship worth millions of dollars were destroyed by South Africans on
February 5 and 18.
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