The South African government has rejected Nigeria’s request for compensation for citizens who abandoned their businesses and properties after fleeing renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.

Nigeria had recently indicated that it was compiling records of businesses, homes and other properties left behind by affected citizens as a basis for engaging the South African government on possible compensation.

Earlier this week, Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, disclosed that the Federal Government had begun documenting the losses suffered by Nigerians who returned home following the attacks.

Ajayi said the exercise was aimed at facilitating discussions with South African authorities on compensation for victims who were forced to abandon their investments and livelihoods due to safety concerns.

However, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissed the proposal during a press briefing on Friday, maintaining that the South African government would not compensate anyone for properties left behind.

According to Ntshavheni, legally owned properties are officially registered with the relevant authorities and can be sold through the country’s property market. She argued that any structures located in informal settlements are illegal and therefore cannot be recognised as legitimate property eligible for compensation.

“We’ll be interested to know where the drug dens of Nigerians are. So they can show us where they have been holding the drugs so that we can clean the drugs in South Africa quite urgently,” Ntshavheni said.

She added that squatter camps and informal settlements do not constitute legally recognised property under South African law.
“Squatter camps and informal settlements are never properties because they are illegal in the country.

So you are already violating our law if you are going to tell us about a shack in some informal settlement,” she said.

Reiterating the government’s position, Ntshavheni said there would be no compensation for abandoned properties.

“So there’s no compensation that will come from government.

Those who leave their properties, if they are properly legally registered in the country, they can dispose of the properties in the property market in South Africa, whether it’s movable or immovable property. And we are going to seriously appreciate being told where the drug dens are,” she said.

The minister also announced that the South African government had approved additional measures to prevent the re-establishment of informal settlements after they are demolished.

The development comes amid renewed incidents of xenophobic violence targeting African migrants in parts of South Africa, forcing many Nigerians to flee over fears for their safety.

Successive waves of xenophobic attacks in South Africa have, over the years, strained diplomatic relations between Abuja and Pretoria, with Nigerian-owned businesses frequently targeted during outbreaks of violence.

The Nigerian government has repeatedly called on South African authorities to ensure the safety of its citizens and protect their investments.