President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday received the Special Envoy, Mr Jeff Radebe from South African President and they met behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Special Envoy, who was accompanied by South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby J. Moroe, arrived the State House at about 2.15p.m, and moved straight to the president’s office.
Recalled that President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa had last week decided to dispatch the Special Envoys to Nigeria and six other African countries mostly affected by the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals including Nigerians in his country.
According to the statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, Buhari said Mr Radebe apologized on behalf of his President for what he called “acts of criminality and violence” that recently occurred, adding that “such do not represent our value system, nor those of the larger number of South Africans.”
He said South Africa was an integral part of Africa, and is fully committed to peace and integration of the continent.
The Special Envoy stated that no Nigerian died in the attacks, disclosing that 10 people died during the attacks – two Zimbabweans and eight South Africans.
He added that South Africa remains eternally grateful for the role Nigeria played in ending apartheid, and hoped that the coming visit of the Nigerian President would solidify relationship between the two countries once again.
In his speech, President Buhari went down memory lane, recalling roles played by Nigeria in engendering majority rule in South Africa, and ending the apartheid segregationist policy.
His words: “Going back to historical antecedents, we made great sacrifices for South Africa to become a free state. I was a junior officer to Gen. Murtala Muhammad, and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo. They were not operating in a democracy, but they got Nigerians to support them in the bid to see a free South Africa.”
“Our leadership was quite committed to the cause. We made sacrifices, which younger people of today may not know. During my last visit to South Africa with the late President Robert Mugabe, it was very emotional, as Mugabe spoke about Nigeria’s contribution to free South Africa,” he noted.
The President extended appreciation to President Ramaphosa, through the Special Envoy, “for coming to explain to us what happened in South Africa recently, leading to killing and displacement of foreigners.”
Responding to the apologies from the South African President, Buhari pledged that relationship between the two countries “will be solidified,” while describing the xenophobic attacks as “very unfortunate.”
•President Buhari with L-R: Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, Special Adviser to South African President Dr. K. Mbatha, Special Envoy Mr Jett Radebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria Mr Bobby Moroe and Ambassador of Nigeria to South Africa Amb. Kabiru Bala as he receives Special Envoy from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in State House on 16th Sep 2019.
•President Buhari with Mr Jett Radebe as he receives Special Envoy from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in State House on 16th Sep 2019 Ramaphosa extends troop deployment in gang-infested communities Xenophobia: Buhari, South African Special Envoy meet in Aso Rock
•President Buhari with Mr Jett Radebe as he receives Special Envoy from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in State House on 16th Sep 2019.
•President Buhari with Mr Jett Radebe as he receives Special Envoy from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in State House on 16th Sep 2019.
