We Will Shut Down Any South African’s Own Businessess In Nigeria Including MTN, DSTV etc – Tolu Adesanya

The South African government has
been given 48 hours to stop
xenophobic attacks on foreign
nationals and their shops or else their
companies abroad will be shut down.

An official with the newly elected
All Progressive Congress (APC), Tolu
Adesanya, confirmed to eNCA that
they handed down a memorandum
to the South African embassy in
Lagos on Wednesday.

In the memorandum, the APC party
officials and members of civil
society groups have demanded that
South Africa take swift action
against attacks on foreign
nationals.

Adesanya said that Nigeria will
shut down South African businesses
if their demands are not met by
South Africa.

"We actually handed a letter to the
South African embassy yesterday,
making them aware that we are not
happy with what is going on in South
Africa. Should there be any more
attacks, we are going to shut down
South African businesses in Nigeria.
That is MTN, Multi Choice, Shoprite
etc," said APC official Tolu Adesanya.

APC officials and civil rights groups
planned to march to a South
African embassy on Thursday.
Thursday's march has been
supported by African Diaspora
Forum.

ADF's Vice Chairman Jean-Pierre
Lukamba told eNCA that "actually
they (Nigerians) don't have a
choice".

South African companies in other
African countries include cellphone
company MTN, retail giant
Shoprite, and satellite TV provider
Multi Choice among others.
Cement Company AfriSam has
branches in Tanzania, Uganda,
Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland
and other countries.

MTN's Group Executive for
Corporate Affairs in South Africa
said that the South African mobile
company "is condemning what is
happening in South Africa."

"MTN cannot condone any acts of
violence against any people be it
foreign nationals. We believe that
more could still be done to ensure
general safety of people in South
Africa," said MTN's group
Executive for Corporate Affairs,
Chris Maroleng.

Markets and Investment analyst
Clive Ramathibela-Smith has said
that attacks on foreign owned
businesses could lead to a serious
crisis.

"Foreign investment is very
critical. Based on our GDP, South
Africa receives over half a trillion
rands of foreign investments on
yearly basis. That means that when
we actually don't look good to the
international market that we have
a problem to answer to other
foreign countries."

An associate Professor at Wits'
school of Economic and Business
Sciences, Chris William Callaghan,
said xenophobia is sending a
message that the world should stop
investing in South Africa.