Close South African embassies – African students in Turkey

Controversies surrounding the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa are far from being over because some African students studying in Turkey are calling for the closure of South African embassies in other parts of the African continent.

They have also chastised African leaders for not demonstrating enough commitment towards combating the “needless attacks” which caused the death of some African immigrants in South Africa.

According to them, shutting down all South African Embassies in other African countries would be in solidarity with the victims.

Leaders of the various African students associations in Turkey in an exclusive Citi News interview described the xenophobic attacks as heartless, hence their call.

Vice President of the African Students Association in Turkey, Yussif Mugoya from Uganda chastised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union for not sanctioning the South African government.

He said, “All South African embassies should be closed until the problem is solved: I just beg all the African countries should do something to the South Africans who are in those countries, either to send them back or something else.”

Yussif Mugoya said the South African government should bow its head in shame for the xenophobic attacks which repercussions could endanger Africa’s unity.

Acting President of the Ghanaian Students Association in Turkey, Hussein Alhassan implied that the South African President, Jacob Zumah should be dragged to the International Criminal Court of justice in the Hague.

“What is the South African government doing: is Jacob Zumah trying to tell me that he has no power to stop such activities?” he asked.

He suspected political machinations in the attacks and maintained that Jacob Zumah should be held responsible.

“There must be a political game behind all these that are happening: what is the AU doing or African leaders what are they doing?”

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana