Some
Nigerians in South Africa have cried out against the xenophobic attacks on
Africans in parts of the country.
In
separate telephone interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH, the Nigerian migrants
expressed their fear of attacks as death threats were being circulated on
social media.
Itunu
Bodunrin, who on Monday had attended his master’s degree graduation ceremony at
the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, told our correspondent that he was
unable to leave the school campus afterwards due to the violence in the town.
Bodunrin
forwarded a text message to our correspondent which, according to him, had been
circulated among South African residents via an instant messaging mobile
application, WhatsApp.
In the
message, signed by several groups, including the Patriotic Movement, Pan Local
Forum, Unemployed Workers Forum and Anti-Crime Movement, Nigerians and other
African foreigners were warned to leave the country.
It read
in part, “Dear neighbour from Africa and other parts of the world, we have
travelled the world and have not found one country that allows the floods of
humans across its borders as South Africa is experiencing. Even in war-torn
parts like Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and Somali.
“We were
seven million people in Johannesburg city in 2011. Today, we have an estimated
13 million. In Johannesburg alone, you have taken over entire suburbs:
Yeoville, Berea, Bez Valley, Turfontein, among many. You have even moved into
rural parts of our country that have 80-per-cent unemployment, and there are no
visible signs that you have jobs either.
“We want
to be proudly part of the geographic construct called Africa, but we are as
different from one another as Kenyans are from Nigerians; Ivorians from
Chadians, etc.
“We are
pleading with you to return to your home countries. Go and build up those
countries so that we can all live in economic, social and political prosperity
and peace as neighbours. The genocide in this corner of Africa will be far
worse than what happened in Rwanda in 1994. Then the entire continent will be
condemned to ashes. Is that what you want?
“South
Africans not fully employed or who were found guilty of crimes, were recently
repatriated from Nigeria and rightly so.
“Our
people are preparing for war against all foreigners (from Bulgaria, Pakistan
and Bangladesh to Africa, north of the Limpopo) and we are all very scared.
Please go home and build Africa. Millions will die if you don’t. This we can
guarantee.”
Similarly,
Samson Ojako, a master’s degree student studying Mathematics also at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal noted that looting had been rampant for over a
week.
“Those
that opened their shops were attacked by the Zulu. During all of this, those of
us on campus were warned by the school management to stay indoors. They said no
one should leave the school premises, especially during the weekend.”
Ojako
noted that a large number of Zulus often migrated from their villages into town
on weekends in order to launch attacks on non-nationals.
He
likened the last one week to life in a
refugee camp, saying that those living
on campus could not go out to shop for food.
“A lot of
people are living in fear, especially the ladies. Even for us who are guys,
last week, we had to move in groups,” he said.
Olawale
Olawepo, another Nigerian studying for a doctorate degree in Industrial
Organisation and Labour Studies said the school authorities also warned
students against taking public transportation.
Source:
PunchNg
No comments:
Post a Comment