The South African government has rejected Nigeria’s request for compensation for citizens who abandoned their businesses and properties while fleeing recent xenophobic attacks in the country.

Nigeria had announced that it was documenting businesses and properties left behind by affected citizens as part of efforts to pursue compensation through diplomatic engagements.

Earlier this week, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, said the Federal Government had begun compiling records of losses suffered by Nigerians affected by the attacks.

However, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, dismissed the proposal during a press briefing on Friday, saying the government would not compensate anyone for abandoned properties.

According to her, legally owned properties are registered with the appropriate authorities and can be sold through the country’s property market, while structures located in informal settlements are illegal and therefore do not qualify as recognised property.

“We’ll be interested to know where the drug dens of Nigerians are, so they can show us where they have been holding the drugs so that we can clean the drugs in South Africa quite urgently,” Ntshavheni said.

She added that there would be no government compensation, maintaining that owners of legally registered properties are free to dispose of them through the property market.

Ntshavheni also disclosed that the South African government had approved new measures aimed at preventing the re-establishment of informal settlements after they are demolished.

The development follows renewed xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in South Africa, which forced many Nigerians to leave the country over safety concerns.