Xenophobia: South Africa documenting victims, engaged on compensation – Govt official in Calabar

Dr Matodzi Rathumbu, the Head of the Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Department, Limpopo Provincial Government, South Africa, has expressed remorse over the xenophobic assaults on overseas nationals, together with Nigerians, within the nation, saying efforts are underway to doc victims and deal with losses suffered through the violence.

The authorities consultant, who responded to questions from the viewers on the ongoing sixth African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network, AsFNET, assembly in Calabar, stated the South African authorities had reached out to international locations whose residents had been affected by the assaults.

He stated the federal government had documented companies destroyed, property losses, deaths and different types of violence suffered by overseas nationals through the incidents.

He added that the federal government was taking steps to handle the considerations raised by affected international locations and stop a recurrence of the assaults.

“South Africa has reached out to brotherly African countries over the violent xenophobic attacks on their citizens in our country.

“We are sorry over the unlucky assaults. We are engaged on new and simpler immigration guidelines, in addition to documenting the victims,” he said.

The representative also disclosed that the South African government was reviewing immigration procedures to address challenges faced by foreign nationals.

In his reaction, Governor Bassey Otu, the chief host, welcomed the South African representative and acknowledged the efforts of President Cyril Ramaphosa towards addressing tensions arising from immigration and xenophobic attacks.

Otu also presented gifts on behalf of the Cross River State Government to the South African representative and other delegates from Tanzania, Comoros, Kenya, The Gambia and other African countries, as well as representatives of Nigerian states showcasing their economic potential at the event.