The South African government has rejected Nigeria’s request for compensation for Nigerian citizens who fled renewed xenophobic attacks, saying it will not pay for abandoned businesses or properties.
The diplomatic dispute follows weeks of anti-immigrant protests and threats in several South African cities, which prompted many Nigerians and other African migrants to leave over fears for their safety
Earlier this week, Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, said Abuja had started compiling records of properties and businesses left behind by returnees. The aim, according to Ajayi, was to build a factual basis for engaging South African authorities on possible compensation for affected Nigerians.
The move came after a new wave of xenophobic violence targeted foreign nationals, with reports of threats, intimidation, and displacement in Durban and other urban centers. Citizen-led groups had set an unofficial June 30, 2026 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave, prompting police deployments and driving hundreds of foreigners to seek urgent exit support.
‘No compensation will come from government’
South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, responded on Friday during a press conference in Pretoria. She ruled out state compensation and drew a sharp line between formal and informal property.
“Legally owned properties are officially registered with relevant authorities and can be sold through the country’s property market,” Ntshavheni said. “Structures in informal settlements are illegal and therefore not recognised as legitimate property.”
She added: “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.”
On the compensation demand, she was categorical: “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.
Ntshavheni also used the briefing to make an accusation against some Nigerian nationals. “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.
“We are going to seriously appreciate being told where the drug dens are,” she repeated, linking the call for information to a broader law-enforcement push
The minister further disclosed that Cabinet has approved new measures to prevent the re-establishment of informal settlements after demolitions. The policy aims to halt the resurgence of “squatter camps” that authorities say complicate urban planning and service delivery.
That stance underpins Pretoria’s rejection of compensation claims for informal structures: because they are not legally recognized, the state does not treat them as compensable assets.
The latest fallout follows a fresh round of xenophobic incidents across South Africa targeting African migrants. The violence has revived memories of similar attacks in 2008, 2015, and 2019 that left dozens dead, businesses looted, and thousands displaced.
This time, anti-immigrant groups set June 30 as a self-imposed deadline for undocumented foreigners to depart. Police were deployed to prevent looting and unrest, while foreign nationals in several cities sought help to leave quickly. Many Nigerians, who run trading, transport, and service businesses in South Africa, abandoned shops and rented accommodation amid safety concerns.
Nigeria and South Africa are Africa’s two largest economies and have a history of tense relations over xenophobia. Abuja has repeatedly raised the issue at bilateral and AU levels, while Pretoria has insisted that crime, not nationality, drives most incidents.
By documenting losses, Nigeria is signaling that it intends to pursue the matter beyond consular assistance. South Africa’s blunt rejection suggests Pretoria will not accept liability for private losses, especially where property status is unclear.
The “drug dens” comment is likely to further strain ties. Nigerian officials have in the past rejected blanket criminalization of their citizens abroad, arguing that it fuels stigma and undermines legitimate traders and professionals.
Nigeria can continue to record losses, but South Africa’s position is that only assets registered under South African law are recognizable. Informal shacks or unregistered businesses fall outside that scope.
- Ntshavheni said Nigerians with legally registered movable or immovable property can sell through the formal market. That places the onus on individuals to exit via commercial channels rather than state payout.
- With new anti-squatting measures and continued police presence, the South African government appears focused on preventing further informal settlements and containing unrest. Whether that reassures migrants enough to return remains uncertain.
- Bilateral engagement: The episode may force both governments back to the table. Past crises led to joint commissions and business forums, but progress has been limited when public sentiment turns hostile.
A long-standing fault line
At its core, the dispute reflects two realities. For Nigeria, citizens abroad who lose livelihoods during targeted violence expect diplomatic protection and redress. For South Africa, domestic law defines what counts as property, and public pressure to act against illegal settlements and alleged criminal networks is intense.
Until those positions align, compensation claims are unlikely to succeed, and the risk of another cycle of flight and recrimination will remain. For now, Pretoria’s message is clear: sell what is legal, show us what is criminal, and do not expect the state to pay for the rest.
