A group of
Nigerians living in Mahatma Gandhi Road in Durban have vowed to defend
themselves if attacked by the locals.
Solomon
Okoro, 31, according to iol.co.za, said they have been receiving threatening
messages but were alert and prepared for any trouble if police are not willing
to protect them. He said they would have guns, knives and bottles ready. Okoro
said they have no choice but to defend themselves if under attack.
“It is not
like we do not know how to fight. It would not be a good thing because this is
not our country, we are not here to fight. Also local people are our friends,
we eat and drink together. Those fighting are racist – they cannot live side by
side with other Africans.
We (did) a
lot for this country during apartheid. But now that everything is hunky dory we
are being attacked… This smacks of hypocrisy,” he said.
Okoro is
happily married to a Zulu wife and claims that if he had to go back to Nigeria,
it would have a negative effect on his child. He disputed the accusation that
the Nigerians living in the Point area were involved in crime.
“I come
from the Igbo tribe. I am a king’s son and I came here with lots of money to
set up a clothing shop. Most of us are businessmen who have contributed to the
economy by employing locals in our hair salons and shops.
These are
just greedy people who cannot stand our success… If these accusations are
anything to go by, why not report those involved in crime to police? Not every
foreigner is a drug dealer,” Okoro said.
Emmanuel
Ike, 35, said his government had given South Africa an ultimatum to come up
with a solution, otherwise they would close down all South African businesses.
“There are
more than 240 SA businesses in my country and all of them come with their own
staff, so to say we are taking your jobs is nonsense. We should be questioning
why you are not employing our people back home.”
We are a
hard working nation who do not look for handouts from the government. We work
for ourselves,” Ike said.
Kumba
Samou, 42, of Liberia said he had received a desperate call from his mother
asking about his well-being.
“We are
seeing what is happening on television. If you are not safe, please come home.
I do not want you to die there,” she said.
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