Nigerians living in South Africa have asked the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to protect them and their properties from xenophobic attacks.

The Nigerian community in the country made the request amid the recent wave of hostilities against foreigners in South Africa.

In a statement signed by Collins Mgbo, president of Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA), Mr Ramaphosa was asked to “help our community during this trying time so that we may not lose our brothers again.”

The NUSA president said foreigners became even more worried when a group of more than 2,000 people recently demonstrated against migrant workers as part of “Operation Dudula’’.

Dudula, a Zulu word which means “drive back’’, has gained popularity as a sign of growing anti-immigrant sentiments in South Africa, a country that has seen its unemployment and poverty level worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The Operation Dudula group turned up in a mob of several hundreds at a migrant centre in South Africa’s Soweto township, with the unemployed, wielding weapons and angry with foreigners they accuse of taking their jobs, chanting ‘Foreigners, go home’,’’ Mr Mgbo said.

He said NUSA was worried about the safety of Nigerians in South Africa. “We are concerned because in the past, xenophobic protests have led to violence and looting of shops owned by foreigners.

“In 2008, the attacks against foreigners left at least 62 people dead, and in 2015, seven innocent African brothers were killed.

“Armed mobs descended on foreign-owned businesses in Johannesburg in 2019. Another mob attack left at least 12 people dead.

“In recent weeks, scores of protesters have been staging demonstrations against undocumented migrants in what they have dubbed ‘Operation Dudula’, and this time, we do not know how many foreign nationals would sacrifice their lives for it,’’ he said.

He quoted president Ramaphosa as saying: “The security agencies are watching and will make sure these things will not result into violence against people from various other countries.’’

(NAN)