South Africa reminds Nigeria about 84 deaths in TB Joshua's church and Chibok girls

SOUTH Africa's government has reacted angrily to Nigeria's recent decision to withdraw her high commissioner from Pretoria adding that the act is ill-thought out particularly given that 84 South Africans recently died in a collapsed building in Lagos.

Last week, Nigeria recalled her high commissioner from South Africa in response to the ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreigners over the last three weeks that have resulted in numerous deaths and the destruction of property Nigeria's senate has also asked the federal government to file a criminal case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against the Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini for instigating the attacks.

Unhappy with the development, the South African government has reacted angrily to the move, saying it had held off blaming Nigeria’s government when 84 South Africans were killed in the collapse of a church building in Lagos last year. On September 12 last year, Pastor TB Joshua's six-storey hotel and guest house in Lagos suburb Ikotun collapsed, killed about 116 persons, 84 of them South African.

A South African foreign ministry spokesman said: “We are not sure which actions or behaviour of the South African government the Nigerian government is protesting. If this action is based on the incidents of attacks on foreign nationals in some parts of our country, it would be curious for a sisterly country to want to exploit such a painful episode for whatever agenda.

"Nigeria has taken an unfortunate and regrettable step at a time when we have held off blaming Nigeria’s government when 84 South Africans were killed in the collapse of a church building in Lagos last year. South Africa also refrained from blaming the Nigerian authorities for the more than nine months delay in the repatriation of the bodies or for the fact that when these bodies eventually returned, they were in a state that they could not be touched or viewed as required by our burial practice.”

In response to the xenophobic attacks, South African president Jacob Zuma has deployed troops to quell the violence in Johannesburg and the port city of Durban. This has led to an easing of tension and there have been no deadly attacks reported over the past week.

However, the Nigerian foreign ministry said the attacks by mobs accusing foreigners of stealing their jobs had created fear and uncertainty among African migrants.  Foreign minister Musiliu Obanikoro has demanded South Africa compensate the victims of the attacks.

However, South Africa has hit back at Nigeria, reminding her of her own security failings. “We hope that the more than 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram will someday be reunited with their families,” the South African foreign ministry said.

Hundreds of Zimbabweans, Malawians and Mozambicans have been repatriated by their governments over the unrest. At least seven people have died during the violence, although there are no reports of Nigerian casualties.