Between xenophobia and labour rights

FROM the South to the North and from the East to the West, the xenophobic actions of South Africans have attracted condemnation from all and sundry.

The South Africans excuse of foreigners taking their jobs as reasons for the xenophobic actions has fallen flat in trying to justify the tortures and persecution of fellow Africans in South African major cities of Durbar, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

In Nigeria, the social media – Facebook, Badoo, Whatapp and Tweeter – have been taken over by citizens to canvass for how best to retaliate the disgraceful action of South Africans.

Indeed, some of the suggestions include shutting down businesses that are owned by South Africans in Nigeria.

One of those messages wrote: “Calling on all Nigerians and Africans around the world with all sense of humility, unity and solidarity to stand with all our African brothers and sisters working/living in South Africa by Boycotting (stop patronizing) for NOW the following South African Business in Nigeria or other part of Africa. Since they have decided to kill and destroy businesses of Nigerians and other African countries in their land (Xenophobia).”

The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, was reported to have said last Friday that xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals were on the increase.

His words: “In the early hours of today (Friday), the mechanic workshop of a Nigerian, with 10 cars and all the tools inside, was destroyed by some South Africans. The build up to the attack started last night when the South Africans started gathering in the neighbourhood of the Nigerian. The Nigerians living there did not sleep and early today, the South Africans struck.”

Anyene said when the South African police intervened, the attackers opened fire on the policemen.

He said though the police chased them away, the attackers re-grouped and still carried out the act.
He stated that since the attack, Nigerians no longer sleep as they keep watch even as tension continue to rise for fear of attacks on non-South Africans.

Anyene urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to engage the South African authorities in dialogue with a view to halting the attacks immediately.

“South Africa has lots of businesses in Nigeria and they are doing well. Also, South Africans live in Nigeria and it is on record that Nigerians have never carried out xenophobic attacks on fellow Africans,” he said.
He said though the South African government had been responding to the attacks, it was not enough as attacks on foreigners are on the increase on daily basis.

“Though no Nigerian has been killed, it may get to that because we have had close shaves with death. The real truth is that Nigerians have lost so much in their businesses to the attacks. The time has come for the Nigerian government to make a categorical statement on these attacks. We are not happy with what is happening and something urgent must be done to stop these attacks,” he explained.

Responding to the unending spate of attacks on foreign nationals, the President of Public Service International (PSI) Africa, Peters Adeyemi, said the actions are disgraceful and unacceptable within the decent international conduct.

He added: “It is unacceptable to us in the PSI Africa. Every part of Africa should be accessible by all Africans irrespective of their country of origin. If Africans can go to Europe, Asia and the Americas to seek greener pastures, what right does any African has in denying fellow African the right to do his business wherever he wants within the continent?”

Adeyemi, who is also a deputy president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) posited that South African businesses have also formed the habit of invading other African countries where South African owned businesses have established their presence and repatriating huge sums back to South Africa on annual basis to the detriment of local businesses.

He said: “It is unfortunate that the people of South Africa are doing this when businesses that come from South Africa are invading other African countries and are making huge sums of money back to South Africa on annual basis. Does it mean that those countries where they are making billions of dollars annually cannot rise against them? It is doubly disturbing that the government of South Africa has not done enough to stop these inhuman behaviours of its citizens. I am not aware of anybody that has been arrested and prosecuted on account of xenophobic behaviour. This is not the first time this is happening to Nigerians and other nationals in South Africa. We demand concrete action towards ending the unnecessary loss of property and lives.”

Adeyemi, who is also the General Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) hinted that PSI is reaching out to its affiliates in South Africa on ways of ending the crisis, saying, “we know that these attacks are carried by citizens of South Africa and not by any union in that country. We are talking with some of our affiliates to see how we can end these unfortunate xenophobic actions.”

On its part, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has also condemned the action of South Africans.

In a statement signed by its President, Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary General, Musa Lawal, TUC called on the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma to initiate necessary steps to end the attacks.

The statement read in part: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria expresses serious concern over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa and calls the Mr. Jacob Zuma-led government to live up to its responsibilities by taking all necessary steps to stop the dastardly act of stealing, killing and taking over of people’s properties in Jo-burg, Durban and Pretoria. The act at this time and age is appalling, abysmal and beastly!”

TUC stated that while it is true that the government of South Africa as well as other countries of the world have condemned the attacks, it insisted that the South African government investigate and punish those involved in accordance with the provisions of the law of the land.

It added: “Again, if the comments we have read in the dailies and social media credited to the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini and son of Zuma, Edward asking non South African to return to their countries is anything to go by, then it means they have forgotten in a hurry how Nigeria and the rest of the world rallied and mobilized support for the country during its apartheid experience.

Indeed, what is happening is nothing but a demonstration of shortness of memory and we feel more terrible about the whole thing because of the underground role of some prominent people in government.”

The Kaigama-led TUC revealed many atrocities committed daily by South African companies in Nigeria, which largely go unnoticed and unpunished.

“Perhaps we should also use this opportunity to let the world know that South African owned companies in Nigeria are anti-labour in their operations. Several efforts have been made to unionize MTN, DSTV, and others all to no avail, which cannot happen in their country. Congress is aware of a number of Nigerian investors who went to invest in South Africa but ran back abandoning acquired properties because they could not cope with their strict labour laws,” the statement said.

It added that Nigeria is a country that accommodates all and sundry including South Africans and today, we see this rare opportunity being grossly abused by the likes of South Africa.

TUC posited that it would no longer tolerate any South African companies disregarding Nigerian laws guiding the operation of businesses, saying, “South Africans own several multi- billion dollar investments on our soils yet, we co-exist despite all odds. The same people will come here to dehumanize Nigerians? Not anymore. This must stop! This sacrifice is becoming too grave to bear and over-stretched all to ensure peaceful co-existence.”

The Congress therefore called on the Federal Government to immediately, like other affected countries, move in and commence evacuation of Nigerians. It maintained that asking Nigerians to remain indoors is not safe as South Africans blood-thirty hooligans could unleash mayhem on them even in their houses.

It posited that it is the government’s responsibility to protect its nationals both internal and external and that government must not shirk its responsibility to its citizens where ever they are.

It reminded South Africans that no man or country has monopoly of violence, saying Nigerians will react in like manner when pushed to the walls.

In December 2007, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly held a seminar in Geneva at which they vowed to intensify fight against xenophobia and racism.

The two organizations observed that legal instruments alone, although essential in the fight against discrimination, are not enough.

They added: “The time has come take measures to prevent prejudice and intercommunity tensions, which risk giving way to discriminatory and/or racist acts, attitudes and statements. These measures will have to be accompanied by educational campaigns and efforts to promote intercultural relations.”

It was observed that although a large majority of governments have ratified ILO Conventions 100 and 111, millions of working men and women suffer discrimination based on colour, cultural differences, ethnic or national origin. They are prey to racism, xenophobia, intolerance, ethnic and religious tensions, both in the world of work and in society in general.