Nigerians have expressed their displeasure in housing South Africans in their country in response to South Africa’s move to deport foreign nationals following a public outcry on the renewal of ZEP permits.

By Irvine Kudzai Chizhande

“It’s past time South African companies cut relations with Nigerians how long shall we keep quiet when they attack our brothers in South Africa calling them criminals and being xenophobic,” the Nigerian Group said in a statement.

Nigerians recently launched a campaign calling on South African businesses to leave the country immediately.

Zimbabwean Human Rights Defender and journalist Hopewell Chin’onos said the war disagreement has the potential to cause bilateral strains in the region “the human rights abuse of foreigners in South Africa will one day cost them since most of the companies are operating in Nigeria and earning millions from Nigeria that will affect the South African economy” said Chin’ono

Foreigners who were living in South Africa were threatened by organized vigilante groups who demanded that they leave because they were taking the jobs.

Zandile Dabula, national secretary-general of the Dudula movement said the group has initiated a legal process to get Nigerians out of their land “Operation Dudula has instructed its attorney to apply direct access to the Constitutional Court and to deport Nigerians in South Africa”

Popular citizens like Elvis Nyati, who was born in Zimbabwe, and several foreigners were killed amid xenophobic attacks by vigilante groups.

The pan African President Chief Fortune Charumbira said, “Africans should unite we are stronger together than divided.”

Zimbabwe has never spoken out when its nationals have been the targets of xenophobic violence.

The Nigerian government has not yet made an official remark on whether the organizations calling for the boycott of South African businesses fall under the ideological purview of the nation.