The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has condemned the continuous xenophobic attack on Nigerians living in South Africa, noting that the trend had necessitated the call for a meeting of the leaders of both countries on how to promptly tackle the matter.
Ramaphosa, who described the killings as upsetting, stated this while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing seventh Tokyo International Conference for Africa Development (TICAD7) in Yokohama.
Ramaphosa’s reaction is coming following the latest report that a group of eight South African policemen, allegedly killed a Nigerian businessman in South Africa’s eastern cape province.
The policemen were reported to have killed the Nigerian national when they interrogated him at his home at the weekend.
The South African President, however told reporters that his country’s justice system had already taken up the matter, pointing out that he was not in support of the killings, and insisted that there was no justifiable reason for anybody to be killed.
He further described the meeting he had with President Muhammadu Buhari, as a good forum for both South Africa and Nigeria to renew the bond of unity between them, and simultaneously share together issues of common interest in the overall interest of the African continent.
He stated: “Obviously, our criminal justice system is working on it. We don’t support killings. Nobody should ever be killed, but it’s also good to use this opportunity here in Japan to renew the bond between us, to talk about common things between South Africa and Nigeria. We know we have to play key roles in the overall development of the continent.”
South Africans have been involved in xenophobic killings of Nigerians, who they claim were robbing them of job opportunities in their own countries.
The Presidency had earlier in the month said President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, will meet in October to discuss issues relating to wellbeing of citizens and ways to further strengthen trade relations between the two largest African economies.
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