A South African woman who identified herself as the president of the Inizwe Nathi Party on Wednesday publicly bid farewell to Nigerians being repatriated from South Africa amid ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.
The woman, identified as Thabile Sibeko, spoke to journalists at an airport in South Africa as preparations were being made for the departure of the affected Nigerians.
Her remarks came as the first batch of 262 Nigerians, mostly women and children, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday following weeks of anti-immigrant violence in parts of South Africa.
Addressing the departing Nigerians, Sibeko thanked them for their contributions to South Africa but accused some Nigerians of being responsible for social problems, particularly drug-related crimes.
She alleged that drug abuse among South African youths had worsened due to the activities of some foreign nationals, a situation she claimed had fueled resentment among sections of the population.
Sibeko, however, expressed appreciation to other foreign nationals whom she said had contributed positively to the country, while maintaining a critical stance towards Nigerians.
Her comments have generated reactions amid growing concerns over rising xenophobic sentiments and attacks targeting migrants in South Africa.
It was not immediately clear whether the Inizwe Nathi Party is officially registered, as searches of publicly available records, including those of South Africa’s Electoral Commission, did not show evidence of the party’s registration.
The repatriation exercise followed weeks of anti-foreigner protests and violence in some parts of South Africa, where groups reportedly demanded that undocumented migrants leave the country before the end of June.
A second flight carrying more Nigerians from the 586 persons processed for repatriation is expected to depart on June 15.
While South African authorities described the exercise as part of routine immigration enforcement, Nigerian officials insisted many of the returnees were leaving because of xenophobic attacks and fears for their safety.
The Federal Government also disclosed that more than 1,000 Nigerians had registered for voluntary return from South Africa.