The African Parliamentary Aides Association (AFPAA) has strongly condemned the wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa that have claimed the lives of Africans, particularly Nigerian residents.
In a statement issued by its President, High Chief Barrister Emeka Nwala, the parliamentary body described the attacks as devastating and a direct threat to Africa’s development and unity.
Xenophobic violence in South Africa is not new. For years, African migrants, with Nigerian nationals often singled out, have been habitually targeted by locals. 
The crisis resurfaced recently, leaving several dead and many others injured. The renewed violence has sparked fresh outrage across the continent.
According to AFPAA, such attacks erode the core principles of African unity, cooperation, and integration that underpin the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament.
The association criticized the South African government for its repeated failure to curb the violence against foreign nationals living within its borders.
It called the government’s inability to protect non-citizens a sign of weakness and a serious diplomatic blunder, warning that inaction damages South Africa’s standing in Africa.
AFPAA reminded authorities that subjecting foreign nationals to inhuman treatment and destroying their property violates the rule of law, fundamental human rights, and international protocols to which South Africa is a signatory.
With South African citizens also living and working across other African nations, including Nigeria, the body said it is unwise to allow xenophobia to fester. The situation risks triggering reprisal attacks against South Africans abroad.
The association stressed that Africans must not turn on one another, noting that Pan-Africanism demands cooperation, tolerance, and mutual respect among all nations and peoples on the continent.
“Xenophobia undermines regional integration, economic cooperation, and the free movement of persons, which are critical to Africa’s development,” the statement read. AFPAA urged the African Union to take immediate and decisive action to call South Africa to order and resolve the crisis.
Proposed measures include engaging Pretoria to guarantee the safety of all African nationals, enforcing accountability, and prosecuting perpetrators to deter future attacks. The group also demanded justice from the South African government through punishment of offenders and a clear commitment to the dignity and security of all residents, regardless of nationality.
AFPAA expressed solidarity with victims of xenophobic violence and reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for the rights, safety, and dignity of parliamentary aides and all Africans across the continent.
