Nigeria and Ghana’s criticism of SA evictions lacks moral ground

Nigeria and Ghana, two neighbouring West African countries that have been vocal about Pretoria’s eviction of undocumented immigrants, have little moral ground to criticise SA. Experts argue both states failed their own citizens, many of whom were forced to desert their countries due to poor governance and repressive policies. Nigeria and Ghana failed own citizens – analysts Analysts said these governments are responsible for the exodus of their nationals, driven by economic mismanagement and intolerance of dissent.

Moreover, unlike South Africa, they have historically excluded their diaspora from voting or participating in political life. Unisa international relations expert Dominic Maphaka said Nigeria and Ghana’s condemnation of South Africa exposes their weakness. “At bilateral level, most of their nationals did not relocate to South Africa willingly, but as a result of forced migration.

“At the multilateral level, they have reduced their commitments to the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 to mere talk shops, as their weak economies have driven their nationals away. Reduced AU Agenda 2063 commitments to talk shops “If anything, they should let the South African government listen to peaceful protesters and clamp down on vigilantism,” he said. Maphaka added the problem could be resolved if South Africa stood firm in bilateral engagements with Ghana and Nigeria and at the AU, where the two threatened to table the matter.

“These two countries must where we are today,” he said. He recalled when the ANC took power in 1994, it ignored advice from other African states, euphorically believing its constitution was the best in the world. “Undocumented immigrants are now using that constitution against the state, claiming rights legally.

The courts are not wrong, they implement the laws as written,” Teffo said. He criticised the constitution’s blanket rights for creating a migration management crisis. ‘We took Pan-Africanism to the extreme’ “We took Pan-Africanism to the extreme.

We were romantic, euphoric, triumphalist and thought we would lead the world on human rights. That has come back to bite us,” he said. Mashego added Nigeria has long competed with South Africa for continental dominance, while Ghana’s threat to take Pretoria to the International Criminal Court over alleged xenophobia lacks substance.