I’m not worried; Xenophobia or not people will always go to South Africa – SA High Commissioner to Ghana

Lulu Xingwana, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Ghana has dismissed assertions that the recent spate of violent attacks in the southern African country will prevent people from traveling there, ABC News can report.

Lulu Xingwana disclosed that she is not in any way perturbed about the decision of some people to not travel to South Africa for economic or tourism purposes insisting that the effect will be felt across the continent not only in her country of origin.

There have been xenophobic attacks in South Africa since Sunday, particularly targeted at Nigerian businesses.

South Africans engaged in the act are upset about the rising unemployment rate in the country and accuse other migrants from other African countries of dominating their towns and taking away their economic opportunities.

The violence has prompted popular entertainment personalities across the continent like Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy, in addition to other businessmen and women as well as academics to publicly disclose their decision not to travel to South Africa for any purpose.

The South African High Commissioner, responding to such claims, stressed, “It is a choice that people can make but as I said it is going to affect all of us. I am not worried because there are too many people going to South Africa.”

Buttressing her stance, the High Commissioner averred that the ongoing Xenophobic attacks in South Africa is not the first of its kind and like those of the past, it will not stop people from visiting the country.

“It is not the first time, even now people will go to South Africa because they know in South Africa they are not going to die, they know in South Africa they are going to be happy. They know in South Africa, they are going to enjoy themselves” she emphasised in a radio interview with Starr News’ Naa Deidei Tettey.

Lulu Xingwana described as ‘senseless’ calls by some Nigerians and other nationals to deport South Africans from their countries for the xenophobic attacks.

Instead, the High Commissioner believed “We must come together, put our heads together and say what it is that needs to be done for all our countries” because, in her view, “We don’t come to a country and take over. We come and give to Ghanaians, we come and give to Nigerians. The Minister in Nigeria has said that there is no sense in Nigerians looting Shoprite because that Shoprite belongs to a Nigerian. The people who work in Shoprite are Nigerians so at the end of the day we are all going to be affected and I know someone said South Africans must go back to South Africa. Does it mean Nigerians must go back to Nigeria?”

She insisted that South Africans are being unfairly criticised while observing that the recent attacks are criminal activities and should not be considered xenophobic.

“..right now four South Africans have died. The first person that died was a South African, killed by a foreign national. I never heard anyone condemning that. I have never heard anyone condemn that. The first person to die was killed by a foreigner drug dealer, nobody has condemned that,” she said in the interview.