Why victims of Xenophobia are not compensated - South Africa Envoy

The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mnguni has said victims of xenophobic attacks in south Africa are not compensated because the perpetrators “were not acting on instructions.”

Mnguni said this on Thursday when he was summoned by the ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

When reminded of the agreement of the Nigerian-South African Bi-National Commission to compensate the victims of attacks, he said “Well I was not part of that; but I will follow up on that.”

He said the South African government was not in support of the killings and looting being perpetrated by its citizens.

He said some of the attackers have been arrested and further investigation is going in to bring the masterminds to justice.

“The citizens complained that the police are corrupt that they did not address their concern, while the foreign nationals say they were being attacked in the presence of police,” he said.

Mnguni said Nigeria and South Africa have to come together to resolve the xenophobic attacks.

“Yes we are using the police; yes we are talking to the people, sensitizing them on our history and the contributions of Nigeria and other countries in ending apartheid.

“We hope that when they meet Nigerians, no matter how envious they may be, they become sensitive to this history,” he said.