The Nigerian government had announced plans to compile details of businesses and assets abandoned by returning citizens as part of efforts to seek compensation from South African authorities.
Speaking earlier this week, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, disclosed that the Federal Government was documenting the losses incurred by affected Nigerians to support future discussions on possible compensation.
Responding to the proposal during a press briefing on Friday, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said the government would not pay compensation for properties left behind by those who departed the country.
She explained that legally acquired properties are registered with the appropriate authorities and can be sold through the country’s property market, while structures located in informal settlements are considered illegal and are therefore not recognised as legitimate property.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
She added: “So there’s no compensation that will come from 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 movable or immovable property. And we are going to seriously appreciate being told where the drug dens are.”
Ntshavheni further revealed that the South African government had approved fresh measures aimed at preventing the return of informal settlements after they have been demolished.
The dispute comes amid a renewed wave of xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in South Africa, forcing many Nigerians to leave the country over fears for their safety.