Xenophobia: Group slams S’Africa for non-payment of compensations

The President of the Nigeria Union, South Africa, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, on Sunday, decried the non-payment of compensation to Nigerians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Anyene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that Nigerians lost property and goods worth about N84 million during the attacks.

“No Nigerian died during the xenophobic attacks of last year, but it cost Nigerian businesses of equivalent of about N84 million. They burnt down some workshops completely with cars inside.

“From the estimate we collected and submitted to the government, it is about N84 millions of what Nigerians lost.

“We have been asking for compensation for those Nigerians because it affected them seriously as some of the victims were yet to recover till today.

“Some of them had customers’ cars in their workshops when it happened which complicated the problems,” he lamented.

Anyene said that there was no positive response from the South African government up till now.

“We submitted the claims through the Nigerian consulate and we are aware that it had reached the foreign affairs ministry and that was just before the change of administration.

“We are expecting that now that we have a new administration, maybe they will take over the matter.

“And we have reiterated it again this period, so nothing has been transmitted to us in terms of response concerning our claim for compensation whether it will be paid or not.

“We also presented it when President Muhammadu Buhari visited South Africa. We know it will take time and there will be engagements for a positive response,” he added.

Anyene called for a quicker response from the South African government by paying the compensation to the affected Nigerians to enable them to restart their lives.