South Africa Arrests 80 for Xenophobic Attacks on Migrants

The South African Government has arrested about 80 members of vigilante groups allegedly involved in xenophobic attacks and criminal acts targeting migrants. Prof Bobby Moroe, the Consul-General of South Africa to Nigeria, disclosed this information during a Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Forum in Lagos.

The arrests occurred across five to six provinces as authorities intensified efforts to restore order and prosecute those violating the law. Moroe stated that the South African Constitution protects both documented and undocumented migrants, and he condemned the actions of the vigilante groups as not representative of the South African people or government.

He dismissed claims that the South African government orchestrated attacks against Nigerians as "fake news." Moroe reiterated that only law enforcement agencies have the authority to address migration issues and called for stronger bilateral ties between Nigeria and South Africa, which have maintained 32 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations.