South Africans Marched to the Nigerian Embassy, Demand Deportation of Illegal Immigrants

A group of South African protesters on Tuesday marched to the Nigerian embassy in Pretoria to demand an end to the influx of Nigerians into Africa’s most industrialised economy and the deportation of all illegal immigrants.

According to protesters, under the banner of #PutSouthAfricanFirst, the South African government has failed to put the country first, therefore, they are calling for the deportation of all illegal immigrants and revocation of grants and other state benefits.

The group, alongside other groups like South Africa First and Only One SA, have handed over a memorandum of demands at the Nigerian Embassy.

Action for change’s Nandi Gachwari said their demands were clear.

“We demand an end to human trafficking in Pretoria and, broadly, South Africa; the deportation of all illegal immigrants; the exposure of corruption in flawed Home Affairs processes that grant citizenship to undeserving foreign nationals.”

Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Kabiru Bala, said he has accepted the memorandum but it was unfair that only Nigerians were being blamed for South Africa’s social and economic ills.