SOUTH Africa's consul-general to Nigeria Sam Monaisa has accused Nigerians of blowing the current xenophobic crisis in the country out of proportion saying that the fear it has spread has forced his government to close down its Lagos consulate. 

Over the last fortnight, South Africa has been plagued with horrific xenophobic attacks in which hundreds of African migrants have been murdered in cold blood by armed Zulu mobs. Violence erupted after Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini, said foreigners should leave South Africa and since then, Africans have been attacked in Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria. 

Following protests by Nigerians against the attacks on, South Africa announced the closure of its consulate in Lagos today. Mr Monaisa said the closure would remain in force until tomorrow when the situation will be reviewed. 

Although the situation in Durban has calmed down, Mr Monaisa added that he was concerned about the Nigerians that were being repatriated. He accused Nigerians of using the social media to blow an already tensed situation in South Africa out of proportion and stoking emotions. 

According to Mr Monaisa, this was why Nigerians believed that their compatriots were being killed daily in South Africa. He warned members of the South African Business Forum in Nigeria to stay alert and not move around unnecessarily. 

South African business concerns and citizens become targets of threats and acts of retaliation whenever xenophobic attacks occur in South Africa, he cautioned. South Africa’s cabinet has already warned that companies operating in the rest of Africa might be targeted, just as Johannesburg-based Sasol announced it was repatriating South African employees working on projects in Mozambique for their own safety.