The Consul General of South Africa, Lagos, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has called on the media to report the truth about events in his country, because the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa “is too important to be defined by a headline, by a viral video or by the actions of a few.”
He spoke on the occasion of a tourism and media roundtable to clear perception, which many have formed since protests over migrants and undocumented persons living in South Africa began.
The roundtable was held on September 2, 2026, at the South African Consulate General Office, Lagos.
“We know what you have seen. We know the images that have circulated. We know the WhatsApp forwards and the videos that keep people awake at night,” he said.
The Consul General urged the media to report the context and not what is perceived because, “there is a danger in a single story. If you only read one page of a book, you will misunderstand the whole book. To call 65 million South Africans ‘xenophobic’ because of the criminal acts of a few is to read only one page.”
He said: “What we witnessed in parts of South Africa were acts of criminality by certain sections of society. They were acts born of frustration with crime, with unemployment, with service delivery. They were not government policy. They are not the position of the majority of 65 million South Africans.
“Crime does not have a nationality. Poverty does not have a passport. And frustration does not speak only one language.”
Moroe said the South African government has acted, and continues to act.
“First, law enforcement was deployed immediately to protect life and property—for South Africans and for foreign nationals. Second, the President, Ministers, Premiers, and community leaders went on record to condemn the violence, because silence in the face of wrong is complicity. Third, we opened reporting channels so that anyone who was a victim could get assistance, regardless of where they come from.”
While reiterating his country’s commitment to Nigeria, he said, “the roundtable is not a reaction. It is a reaffirmation of our relations with the people and the government of the Federal republic of Nigeria.”
According to him, “Nigeria is not just another country to South Africa. Nigeria is our most important partner in West Africa. This is not politics. This is history. This is economics. And that will not change because of a difficult week or a difficult month.”
He assured that the country’s diplomatic mission here in Lagos is fully open and operational. “Our colleagues in Abuja are also open. We are here to serve you. The doors are open. The lights are on. The South African Consulate in Lagos and the High Commission in Abuja are still issuing visas to Nigerians.
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There is no ban. There is no slowdown. There is no closure. Applications are being processed daily.”
He concluded by saying, “to our tour operators, keep selling South Africa. Sell it with confidence. It is safe. It is beautiful. It is ready. And Nigerians are welcome.”
