Anger in Nigeria as South Africa xenophobic attacks spark looting
(CNN)
— Anti-foreigner attacks in Johannesburg has triggered violence and
massive looting of South African-owned brands in Nigeria.
Angry
protesters set fire to many entrances leading into a busy mall housing
South African retail store Shoprite and looted groceries and toiletries
from the supermarket in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial center. Another
outlet belonging to the chain and one owned by South African mobile
company MTN were vandalized in Ibadan city in southwest Nigeria on
Tuesday despite appeals from the government for peace.
MTN Nigeria also sent messages to its employees to work from home in view of the attacks some of its facilities.
On
Wednesday, police fired teargas to disperse a horde of rioters gathered
outside many South African-owned outlets in Surulere, a bustling
district in Lagos.
Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture
Alhaji Lai Mohammed said Nigerian investors own significant stakes in
South African companies operating in the country and the majority of
their employees are also Nigerians.
"President Muhammadu Buhari
has dispatched a Special Envoy to convey to his South African
counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa, his concerns and also interact
with his South African counterpart on the situation," Mohammed said.
Nigerian
music stars Burna Boy and singer Tiwa Savage have also weighed into
what has escalated into a diplomatic row between both countries. Savage canceled an upcoming performance in late September. She said the xenophobic violence provoked the decision.
@TiwaSavage
I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is
SICK. For this reason I will NOT be performing at the upcoming DSTV
delicious Festival in Johannesburg on the 21st of September. My prayers
are with all the victims and families affected by this.
While
Burna Boy said he had not visited South Africa since 2017 after a
"xenophobic experience." He vowed not to return until the government
"wakes the f**k up and really performs a miracle."
Diplomatic backlash
South Africa is facing criticism over a fresh wave of violence against African immigrants and foreign-owned businesses.
Angry
mobs looted, burned and vandalized shops, properties, and vehicles,
after violence flared Sunday. South Africa police say five people were
killed and 189 people allegedly involved in the violence have been
arrested. Many foreign-owned stores were targeted in the violence.
Xenophobic
and anti-immigrant attacks are not new in South Africa. Demonstrators
forced hundreds of foreigners from their homes and looted some
businesses in Durban in April.
They claimed that foreigners had taken jobs that should have been filled by locals. In
2017, violent anti-immigrant protests broke out in the capital Pretoria
and in 2015, several people were killed, and thousands fled after
xenophobic attacks across the country.
Ethiopia's foreign
ministry on Wednesday said rioters destroyed some businesses owned by
its citizens in South Africa in the latest attacks which began in
Jeppestown, a neighborhood in Johannesburg, but has quickly spread to
other areas.
Students in Zambia demonstrated in front of a South African owned Pick N Pay store on Tuesday in protest against the attacks.
Zambia's
transport ministry has also warned truck drivers against traveling to
South Africa until security issues have been resolved.
South
African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned Tuesday that the spate of
attacks could trigger violence against its citizens abroad.
"The
attacks on people who run businesses from foreign nationals is totally
unacceptable," Ramaphosa said."There can be no justification whatsoever
about what people are having a grievance over that they should go out
and attack people from other countries because when they do so here,
they should also know that fellow South Africans will be attacked in
other countries," the President said
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