Former Minister Jeff Radebe has conveyed South Africa’s apology to Nigeria over the recent xenophobic unrest in parts of Gauteng.
Radebe met Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Monday.
He is one of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoys to several African countries.
They have been dispatched to reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to Pan-Africanism.
Speaking to the press afterwards, Radebe said he conveyed Ramaphosa’s “sincere apologies about the incident that has recently transpired in South Africa.”
He added that the unrest did not represent what South Africans stand for and that the perpetrators will be “brought to book.”
The Nigerian Presidency also issued a statement reaffirming the close ties between the two countries.
President Buhari responded to profuse apologies from the South African president, pledging that relationship between the two countries will be solidified.
Nigerian Presidency
Nigerians returning
A number of Nigerian nationals have opted to return to their country in recent days following the unrest.
12 people lost their lives, 10 of them being South Africans. There have been no reports of Nigerians losing their lives.
A number of South African business operating in Nigeria, such as Shoprite, were recently targeted in retaliation.
South Africa’s consulate in Lagos was also forced to close down briefly after protesters marched to it.
Buhari’s Special Envoy
Radebe’s meeting with President Buhari follows a similar meeting between President Ramaphosa and Buhari’s Special Envoy Ahmed Rufai Abubakar in Pretoria earlier in September.
Following the meeting, Ramaphosa reaffirmed the “firm and strong relations” between the two countries.
He said Nigeria had undertaken to act against the targeting of South African assets in Nigeria.
Buhari is set to make a state visit to South Africa in October, when these matters are likely to be further discussed.