₦airaland Forum

Nigerians’ Visa Applications To South Africa Almost Double Despite Attacks On Foreigners –Consul-General Moroe

The South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has disclosed that visa applications from Nigerians to South Africa have almost doubled, despite concerns over attacks on foreigners and safety in the country.

Moroe made the disclosure during an interview on Nigerian Info FM, monitored by SaharaReporters, while assuring Nigerians that South Africa remained open to visitors for tourism, business and other purposes.

The envoy said the significant rise in visa applications showed that many Nigerians still intended to travel to South Africa.

“I indicated during the beginning of the show that the number of visa applications have almost doubled,” Moroe said.

“So we are quite comfortable and we have no doubt that a lot of Nigerians who still want to visit South Africa for whatever reason can still go there.”

Moroe’s comments come amid concerns among some Nigerians over travelling to South Africa because of reports of attacks against African migrants, including Nigerians.

“I just want to give reassurance that South Africa is open for business, South Africa is open for tourism and South Africa is open for any other form of visit,” he said.

“It is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that before you travel, you ensure that you have your visa, you comply with the immigration laws of the country, you become a good ambassador of your country.”

He also advised Nigerians visiting South Africa to familiarise themselves with their rights, the country’s laws and the locations of law enforcement agencies.

“When you get to South Africa, you know and understand your rights, but you must also familiarize yourself with the laws of the country,” Moroe said.

The diplomat further rejected the description of violent attacks against foreigners in South Africa as xenophobia, insisting that the country was not hostile to migrants.

“There’s no xenophobia in South Africa,” he said.

RandDigital:
Seppuku, brain54, jaxxy have gone underground

IronGalaxy:
The same people we are supposedly hunting like game still wanna come to "xenophobic" South Africa. Interesting

seppuku:
He is counting applications that were submitted 3 months ago.

IronGalaxy:
The same people we are supposedly hunting like game still wanna come to "xenophobic" South Africa. Interesting

IronGalaxy:
Ah, Spinner and Chief denialist extraordinaire himself.. You've really mastered the art of denying the glaringly obvious

RandDigital:
In record numbers.

Politics was in here 12 hours ago but still didn't push to frontpage. Didn't fit his misinformation campaign despite reputable sources. But had it been some unknown illegal migrant claiming he lost his $20m business to lazy black South Africans the thread would've hit frontpage instantly, no questions asked.

RandDigital:
In record numbers.

Politics was in here 12 hours ago but still didn't push to frontpage. Didn't fit his misinformation campaign despite reputable sources. But had it been some unknown illegal migrant claiming he lost his $20m business to lazy black South Africans the thread would've hit frontpage instantly, no questions asked.

seppuku:
What is glaringly obvious, are you an immigration officer at OR Tambo?

seppuku:
We are not coming there anymore, stop hyping yourselves.

Tell him to produce the evidence. Dishonest diplomat trying to sell his xenophobic country so you keep chopping visa application money.

IronGalaxy:
Funny, you don't ask such questions when your people claim they lost millions in damaged businesses from "lazy black South Africans".. you take it as fact.

seppuku:
We are not coming there anymore, stop hyping yourselves.

Tell him to produce the evidence. Dishonest diplomat trying to sell his xenophobic country so you keep chopping visa application money.

IronGalaxy:
It's not us saying that; direct all this hot air to the consul general

seppuku:
Why should I, no compensation has been paid out yet and the government of Nigeria says it will only pursue cases where people are able to prove this.

seppuku:
The consul general is an official representative of the government and people of South Africa

RandDigital:
A whole consul-general who can be summoned to Abuja to produce evidence is "lying" but all the untested testimonies of Nigerians who were in SA illegally coming back saying they owned businesses you believe without proof and are littered all over frontpage?

You see when SA said Nigeria and Ghana were on a misinformation campaign? No wonder you lost the AU vote, lies and fake news lead nowhere in diplomatic circles.

RandDigital:
A whole consul-general who can be summoned to Abuja to produce evidence is "lying" but all the untested testimonies of Nigerians who were in SA illegally coming back saying they owned businesses you believe without proof and are littered all over frontpage?

RandDigital:
You see when SA said Nigeria and Ghana were on a misinformation campaign? No wonder you lost the AU vote, lies and fake news lead nowhere in diplomatic circles.

IronGalaxy:
And why would he lie? What's in it for him? just hype?

IronGalaxy:
blah blah. blah.. it must hurt that your people still wanna come to SA..it flies against "oh they're killing us because we're Nigerian" propaganda..

seppuku:
Damage control.

IronGalaxy:
hahahaha...

seppuku:
You act like I can stop anyone from going anywhere they choose.

All I can do is reach as many as I can to stop them from going to a place where the people are pushing nasty narrative about them and save them from spending their hard earned currencies on a country who deep down inside dislikes them.

IronGalaxy:
I never said you stop anyone; I said it must hurt because the reality on the ground flies against the propaganda.. Nobody flocks to where they're "targeted" and "killed" , and nobody refuses to leave a place where they are being killed..

seppuku:
Yep, those Visa fees are a money maker.

seppuku:
Maybe they are headed to the Cape where there is a semblance of sanity, Why should that hurt me?

What I do know is that there are pockets of xenophobics in South Africa and anyone going down there needs to get his head checked.

RandDigital:
IronGalaxy, Morpheus admits there are record visa applications that we are using as a money maker 😂😂😂🇿🇦🏆

For face saving he says they're going to Cape Town, although all evidence indicates Nigerians are concentrated in Johannesburg 😂😂😂🗑️🚮🚮🚮

IronGalaxy:
The "Maybes" won't work, my guy. Nobody actively seeks to relocate to a country where they are targeted for killing. That simple

IronGalaxy:
He's always in denial.. 😂 Imagine going to the Cape, for "sanity" when you're used to the opposite in Nigeria