Durban xenophobia: Nigerian consul-general meets officials to ‘restore peace’
"I came here today to make sure that the Nigerians are safe." - Nigerian Consul-General Uche Ajulu-Okeke to Nigerian foreign nationals.
GOVERNMENT officials from the KwaZulu-Natal province and eThekwini Municipality met with Nigerian Consul-General Uche Ajulu-Okeke in Durban on Sunday afternoon to discuss government’s efforts to assist displaced foreign nationals following widespread xenophobic violence in the greater eThekwini region.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni, city manager Sibusiso Sithole, deputy city manager for Community and Emergency Services Dr Musa Gumede, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs HOD Nonhlanhla Qhobosheane and municipal officials have assured the Nigerian senior diplomat that peace and stability has been restored and reintegration of foreign nationals had started in some parts of eThekwini.
The government delegation informed the Nigerian senior diplomat that government strongly condemned attacks of foreign nationals and they were working with state security agencies to bring perpetrators to book.
Sithole said government is pleased to observe that in the last two days, there were no incidents of violence directed at foreign nationals.
“Consultation to facilitate the peaceful return of displaced nationals with communities in all affected areas are currently underway and officials from the Department of Home Affairs are on the ground assisting those foreign nationals who wish to be repatriated to their countries,” he said.
After the briefing, Ajulu-Okeke addressed Nigerian nationals living in the Mahatma Gandhi Road area.
“I came here today to make sure that the Nigerians are safe. I have been briefed by the provincial police commissioner and City officials that you are safe and you are protected.
“South Africa is your home as long as you are law abiding citizens. I am working with the South African government to restore peace. Let us forget what happened and reunite as African brothers and sisters,” she said.
Currently, there are three interim shelters with basic services including water, electricity and ablution facilities in Phoenix, Chatsworth and Isipingo that are accommodating displaced foreign nationals. About 500 Zimbabwe nationals have been processed for repatriation at the Chatsworth shelter.
