PRETORIA - There is no compensation that will come from the South African government to Nigerian citizens repatriated from the country.
This is according to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshaveni. Her comments come after the Nigeria indicated that they would be demanding compensation for their nationals, for their properties left in South Africa.
The nationals allege they were forced to abandon businesses, homes and other properties. Speaking during Cabinet meeting feedback briefing Ntshaveni dispelled the claims.
"Property rights in South Africa are guaranteed by law," she said.
Properties ownership in South Africa is protected under Section 25 of the Constitution and properties are registered at the Deeds Office. Business are registered at the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission (CIPC), vehicles are registered in the eNatis system and rental spaces are registered with landlords.
Those with any such properties, according to Ntshaveni should not have any problem selling them in the property market.
She went on to say that many of them lived in informal settlements which, by law are not legal.
"You are already violating the law if you are going to be telling us about a shack or informal settlement," she says.
READ: 'My dear, what is going to help us is respect' - Kubayi to a Nigerian journalist
Ntshaveni says the government would appreciate it if they told them were the drug dens are.
"So we can clean out the drugs in South Africa urgently," she said.
During a press conference by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Sunday, a Nigerian journalist asked Ntshaveni to retract her statements on the drug dens.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi defended Ntshaveni's utterances.