The Economic Community of West African States has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of the xenophobic attacks on fellow Africans by South Africans.
It also demanded for action on the part of the South African government to halt the attacks.
The regional economic block equally offered to work with the government of South Africa to end the crisis.
Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Heads of Governments and President of Ghana, John Mahama, said this in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Tuesday.
He was responding to questions from reporters after a closed door meeting with the President-elect, Mohammadu Buhari.
According to him, the event in South Africa is one that is worrisome because of the specific circumstances of South Africa.
Mahama noted that it is most regrettable and most unfortunate for some misguided youths to attack the same people who made sacrifices to ensure that they enjoy freedom.
He said, “I think that the young people of South Africa do not know what happened before they gained their freedom, the whole of this continent stood behind South Africa, the whole of Africa stood behind South Africa to fight against apartheid.
“I remember all of us who, growing up as secondary school children, as members of the African Youth command, boycotted classes all in the fight against apartheid.
“Indeed, for several of the countries that their citizens were brutalised in South Africa, these are countries that were called frontline states that harboured the freedom fighters of South Africa and gave them safe haven, gave them passports to be able to avoid the clutches of the apartheid regime.
“Nigeria, though not a neighbour of South Africa, was considered a frontline state because of the economic contribution that it made to be able to liberate South Africa from apartheid and so, it is regrettable that the same people who fought against apartheid are being attacked.”
The Ghanaian president also explained that the pictures about the heinous crime which have been trending on social media were horrible, adding that ECOWAS has issued a statement condemning the act.
He said, “As ECOWAS, we have issued a statement condemning what is happening. The unfortunate thing is that this is not the first time.
“It keeps flaring up and so while we are condemning this incidence we must work with the South African government to ensure that it won’t happen again. We are trying to create an integrated continent, where our people can move freely amongst our countries, this has not set a very good example for integration and especially for South Africa that has investments in many countries.”
He asked the South African government to ‘sit up’ and take ‘strong action’, adding that “those that have been involved in these atrocities must be punished, serving as a deterrent so it does not happen in future.
Earlier, the ECOWAS Chairman said Nigeria has led by example with the peaceful conduct of the last general elections.
He observed that Nigeria’s example was worthy of emulation by other African countries whose elections are scheduled to hold afterwards.
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