South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has reaffirmed that her government will not compensate Nigerians who left properties behind after recent attacks. She responded to criticism from former senator Shehu Sani on Saturday.
Ntshavheni made the comments during a press briefing on Friday and repeated them on Saturday. She stated that only legally registered properties qualify for market sale and that informal structures are not eligible for compensation.
The minister added that she “didn’t stutter” when first rejecting the idea. She also asked for information on alleged drug dens operated by Nigerians so authorities could address them.
Nigerian officials had earlier said they planned to document abandoned assets to seek possible compensation. Shehu Sani criticised Ntshavheni’s position on social media, calling it inappropriate for a senior official.