The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Lulu Mnguni has allayed fears that bi lateral relations between Nigeria and South Africa will be affected by the death of South Africans in a six-storey guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
Speaking via a telephone interview, Amb Mnguni said the “we have come a long way in building the relationship of the two countries”.
He said Nigeria has been very helpful in repatriating the bodies of the dead South Africans and noted that they remain grateful to Nigeria despite the challenges.
“These are challenges which are testing our relation and of course we will always transcend them.
“So there are no proven tensions. We are working together with Nigeria as far as this matter is concerned and Nigeria is leading in trying to address the situation.
“We know that the search and rescue has ended and therefore the number has gone up to 84,” Mr Mnguni said.
Unconfirmed Anti-Nigerian Sentiments
Unconfirmed reports had filtered that the number of dead South Africans is fuelling some anti-Nigerian sentiments in South Africa. The reports said some Nigerians were attacked in the aftermath in an area in the outskirts of Johannesburg.
But reacting to this, the South African National Police Commissioner General, Reah Phiyega, told Channels Television’s correspondent, Betty Dibiah, in Pretoria, that she was yet to receive such a report, promising that the agency would investigate the allegations.
“This is no time for finger-pointing but a time for all affected to deal with the disaster as one,” she, however, said.
