NYSF Berates Barbaric Xenophobic Attacks in South-Africa, Rejects Insulting “No compensation” stance

The National Youth Stakeholders Forum (NYSF) has condemned the ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerian citizens and other African nationals in South Africa.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Amb. Olugbenga George O.G, in a press statement issued and made available to newsmen on Sunday, described the attack which have been escalating with a chilling “leave or return in a coffin” ultimatum, represent a grave violation of human rights and the principles of African unity.

The statement said, “Since the latest wave of violence erupted, reports indicate that over 859 Nigerians have been forced to flee South Africa.

“We have witnessed horrific scenes where our compatriots have lost their livelihoods, sources of income, and in some cases, their lives. The fact that foreign nationals, including women and children, have been chased from their homes, attacked with weapons, and threatened with death if they remain beyond the 30 June deadline is a testament to the deep-seated hatred and lawlessness being condoned in South Africa.

“We are particularly outraged by the insensitive and derogatory response from the South African government.

“While thousands of our people have lost everything; homes, businesses, and properties, South African authorities have not only ruled out any form of compensation but have
also resorted to throwing insults and fueling the fire of hatred”.

The statement from South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissing the losses of Nigerians and making inflammatory remarks about “drug dens” is a new low in diplomatic discourse.

“This is not merely a refusal to take responsibility; it is a deliberate attempt to dehumanize our people and justify the criminal violence against them. To claim that Nigerians’ properties are not legitimate because they are in informal settlements is to conveniently ignore that many of these individuals were law-abiding residents whose lives have been turned upside down by mob violence”.

The NYSF condemns the South African government’s complicity by omission, while President Cyril Ramaphosa has made statements condemning the violence, the government has failed to take decisive action to protect foreign nationals or prosecute the perpetrators of these heinous
crimes.

“This crisis is not a product of “illegal immigration” alone; it is a political enterprise co-produced by vigilante groups and the state through acts of commission and omission. Politicians, seeking to exploit economic frustrations ahead of local elections, have fueled this fire, scapegoating migrants for South Africa’s own domestic failures: unemployment, inequality, and corruption.

“This is a tragic irony. As The Guardian aptly noted, South Africans who once fought against the oppressive system of apartheid are now exporting oppression against their fellow Africans.

“The NYSF stands firmly in solidarity with the victims of these attacks. We applaud the Federal Government of Nigeria for documenting the losses and evacuating our citizen. However, documentation is not enough.

“We demand: Immediate Compensation: The South African government must take full responsibility and pay compensation to all Nigerian and African victims who have lost property and livelihoods due
to these xenophobic attacks. Protection of Rights: The South African authorities must provide immediate and effective
protection for all foreign nationals in their country, ensuring their safety against hate groups. Prosecution of Perpetrators: Those responsible for planning and executing these violent
attacks and threats must be brought to justice without delay.

“A Formal Apology: The South African government and its officials must retract their insulting comments and issue a formal apology to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its citizens”.

The National Youth Stakeholders Forum supports the planned legal action against the people and government of South Africa.

“We will not stand by while African brothers and sisters are killed, robbed, and degraded. The principles of Pan-Africanism cannot remain a slogan while we allow our people to be treated as second-class citizens in a continent that fought for liberation.

“We warn the South African government: You cannot expect our cooperation, trade, and brotherhood while you allow our citizens to be slaughtered and then ridicule their loss”, the National Youth Stakeholders Forum was quoted as saying.