PRETORIA - A group of frustrated Nigerian nationals is picketing outside their Embassy in Pretoria. They are calling for their government to fast-track their repatriation.
Less than 300 of the almost 600 processed Nigerian nationals have returned home. It comes as the unofficial 30 June deadline looms for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. The stranded nationals have blamed their government for failing to assist them.
Nigeria's acting ambassador to South Africa, Alexander Temitope Ajayi, admitted that the process had encountered logistical hiccups. He said he was not sure when the second flight would depart South Africa.
"I want to assure you that we are very much in this with all of you. Your concerns are our concerns. Your interests matter most to us and none of you will be left behind in this process of evacuation," Ajayi said.
He said the second flight would be approved between Tuesday and Friday.
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While the Nigerian government approved five evacuation flights to be operated by Air Peace, it has now emerged that the flights lack the necessary landing permits.
"They could not give us a specific date when the flights will come. Our question is, why the delay? There are stranded women and children who came from all provinces, hoping to go home and the next thing, the flight is cancelled. In this weather, they sleep outside, there is no food, shelter, blankets, nothing," said one man.
He said they were ready to go home, but government was delaying the process.
"Our people are ready to go home. We might look stranded, but we have nice homes. We are not here because we are desperate, we are here because we love South Africa," the man added.
He said the reason some of the Nigerian nationals were found to be without the necessary documents was because of the hurdles they faced when trying to renew their government documents.
The protesters also urged authorities not to arrest them if they are found not to have papers.
"The South African government must stop arresting those who are going home. They must allow them to go to their country freely without arresting them at the airport."
Smart Nwobi, the president of the Nigeria Union South Africa, called on the Nigerian government to do everything in its power to repatriate those who are stranded.