The South African government has said it will not compensate illegal Nigerian immigrants, insisting that their assets and properties are proceeds of crimes that will be used to fight crimes and compensate South Africans.

Mmamoloko Kubayi, South Africa’s minister of justice, disclosed this during a press conference on Sunday.

The minister of justice doubled down on the position of the South African government that Nigerians who stayed in the country illegally will not be compensated for the assets and properties they are leaving behind. 

“I’m responsible for two entities and the Minister of Justice that recover assets as proceeds of crime. If you are here in the country illegally and you’ve acquired assets, those are classified under proceeds of crime,” Ms Kubayi said.

Explaining further, the South African minister said Nigerians who are in South Africa illegally shouldn’t have acquired properties and assets.

She added that the assets now fall under the assets forfeiture unit.

“And we will use that money to fight crimes and support victims in this country. It is within our laws,” she said.

When she was interrupted by a Nigerian journalist, Ms Kubayi said, “One thing that would help us is respect for each other. Respect for the office that we occupy because we are ministers of the state. I don’t think any South African journalist would disrespect your sitting minister.” 

This comes as Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, and the governments of other African countries continue the evacuation of their citizens from South Africa amid xenophobic attacks.