South Africa Rules Out Compensation for Evacuated Nigerians

South Africa has turned down Nigeria’s demand for compensation on behalf of Nigerians who were forced to abandon their properties following their evacuation from the country.

The evacuations followed renewed xenophobic violence against African migrants in South Africa.

Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, had earlier said the Nigerian government had begun compiling records of businesses and properties left behind by returnees.

He said the records would form the basis of discussions with South African authorities on possible compensation.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissed the possibility of government compensation.

Ntshavheni said legitimate properties were formally registered with authorities, while informal settlements were illegal and unrecognised.

She said, “So there’s no compensation that will come from the 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 a movable or immovable property.”

The minister also asked Nigeria to provide information on locations allegedly used for drug-related activities.

“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, “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.”

Ntshavheni said the South African government had approved measures to prevent informal settlements from being rebuilt after demolitions.