Xenophobia: “We were like slaves, they segregated our children’– repatriated Nigerians recount experience in South Africa
‘We were like slaves, they segregated our children’– repatriated Nigerians recount experience in South Africa
We were like slaves, they segregated our children’– repatriated Nigerians recount experience in South AfricaReturning Nigerians have recounted what they described as years of hardship, discrimination, and neglect in South Africa, worsened by a recent uptick in xenophobic violence.
Heaves of relief, sighs of gratitude and bursts of laughter broke out among the returnees as they touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday morning.
At least 258 Nigerians made up the first batch of repatriated citizens.
Speaking to TheCable, Milly Abu, one of the returnees, said she had been in South Africa for 23 years without proper documentation because “the system is quite difficult”, adding that ” you also have to go through a lot of process before you can obtain the papers”.
Abu, a tutor in Pretoria, said she was forced to shut down her spa studio due to lack of proper documentation after authorities began cracking down on undocumented migrants.
According to her, she largely stayed at home as a parent, adding that her children frequently returned from school with stories of discrimination.
“Most teachers, they criticise kids that are from outside. They don’t regard them the same way that they regard other kids that are in South Africa,” Abu said.
“They treat them different, they talk badly about Nigerian nationals, just to make other kids to feel supreme or to feel more bigger than other kids.
“It actually took a toll on my kids. The kids would always come back from school and also inform me that, ‘oh, mommy, this is what I went through at school.
“The teacher was criticizing’, or ‘the teacher would make a comment that, ‘oh, be careful of Nigerians, they’re kidnappers’, or there are some certain things, very bad words.”
Abu said discrimination against other Africans was widespread, including in hospitals.
THEY KILLED MY HUSBAND’
Emilia Godwin, 45, said Nigerians in South Africa are frequently treated like slaves, but feel powerless to speak up as foreigners in the country.
“I’m not happy with them. I am still saying it. Now I’m in my country I have my mouth to speak. They are wicked, they don’t like us,” Godwin told TheCable.
“If you enter a taxi, they make jest of you, they pull you. They beat you. We’re just like a slave there; we don’t have mouth to talk. If we talk too much, they will start hitting, speaking their language.
“I will never go to South Africa anymore. Even if my child is born there, she will never go to South Africa anymore.”
She alleged that some South African women target Nigerian men, claiming they enter relationships in order to gain access to their property, citing “the way they killed my husband”.
“I will never go to South Africa anymore. Even if my child is born there, she will never go to South Africa anymore.”
She alleged that some South African women target Nigerian men, claiming they enter relationships in order to gain access to their property, citing “the way they killed my husband”.
LEGAL MIGRANTS NOT EXEMPTED
Protesters in South Africa during xenophobic violence said they opposed migrants without papers, claiming they posed security concerns.
But Henry, one of the repatriated Nigerians, said legal migrants were not exempted from the violence.
“I went through a lot because when they come to you, they will ask you (for) your papers, even when you show your valid papers, they still find something to hold on (to),” Henry said.
“Because of that they will try to do one or two things to you, and you will not be happy about that.”
Henry said he is happy to be back.
“I’m home, this is my country. Nobody will ask me, ‘where is your passport? Where is your document?’ I’m very happy. My parents, my brother, siblings, everybody will welcome me. At least I came back alive. They will see me alive.”
