The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has joined the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATUU) to condemn the reckless violent attacks on African working people and nationals in South Africa with unacceptable resultant avoidable destruction of lives and properties, a statement by Comrade Issa Aremu , deputy president of Joe Ajaero led faction of NLC said .
The xenophobic attack had claimed several lives. The latest round of attacks was reportedly instigated by the Zulu King in the Kwazulunatal region in South Africa. It has since spread to other commercial cities like Durban and Johannesburg. Kindly note that similar attacks in January this year claimed several lives. In January, looters burned businesses owned by foreigners.
It recalled that In 2008, Seven years ago, in Johannesburg, anti-immigrant violence claimed many innocent lives. Most of the victims were Zimbabweans who had fled repression and dire economic circumstances. As many as 200 people were arrested on various charges, including rape, murder, robbery and theft.
These serial xenophobic attacks on innocent African workers are grossly unwarranted, condemnable and unacceptable,NLC said.
It said further “We believe that African workers have a right to seek legitimate work anywhere in the continent based on the dream and ideals set by the founding fathers such as Kwame Nkruma, Julius Nyerere, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nelson Mandela among others.
“The xenophobic attacks in South Africa is a reflection of the crisis of governance in Africa as reflected by the worsening poverty and unemployment rate in the continent.
“The ILO harmonized unemployment rate refers to those who are currently not working but are willing and able to work for pay, currently available to work, and have actively searched for work.
Aremu’s statement tabulated the unemployment rate in Africa in percentage terms thus : Zimbabwe 95.00% 2009 ; Djibouti 59.00 % 2007; Namibia 51.20 % 2008; Senegal 48.00% 2007; Kenya 40.00 % 2008; Swaziland 40.00 % 2006; Mauritania 30.00 % 2008; South Africa 23.30 % 2010; Gabon 21.00%2006; Tunisia 14.00 %2010 and Algeria 9.90 % 2010
“The desperate and reckless actions of the jobless youths of South Africa are not unconnected with the unending disconnect between the governments and the governed in Africa. What is happening in South Africa can happen in Nigeria. According to the ILO both Nigeria and South Africa have high levels of unemployment rates of 23.9% and 24.3% in 2014 respectively. As many as 20,000 people have died in the Mediterranean sea en route to Europe.
