The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria has stated that evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa will begin on Monday, 20th April.
A press statement from the office of the Commission in Pretoria said that Nigerians who feel endangered, and do not have the fare back home should quickly make themselves available for evacuation.
The statement read in parts: “as from Monday 20th of April 2015, the process of evacuating Nigerians from South Africa will begin as directed by the Federal Government of Nigeria due to the ongoing xenophobic attack on black foreign nationals in the Republic of South Africa.
“To that effect an evacuation register will be open at the High Commission in Pretoria for Nigerians intending to return to Nigeria but cannot afford flight tickets.”
Despite appeals by South African President Jacob Zuma and other political leaders for calm, violence against foreigners continued in parts of South Africa on Thursday.
At least five people have been killed, thousands displaced and extensive property destroyed in the latest wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa, after a March 20 speech in which tribal Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini said foreigners should leave the country.
Most of the targets in South Africa have been Mozambicans, Malawians, Zimbabweans, Somalis, Congolese and Nigerians. An April 16 march against xenophobia in Durban, attended by up to 20,000 people, did little to stop the simmering tensions. There were scuffles when people opposed to foreigners tried to disrupt the march.