South Africa’s Consul-General in Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, says interest in his country is still strong. He told Nigeria Info FM on Sunday that visa applications from Nigerians have almost doubled in recent months, despite ongoing reports of xenophobic attacks.
Moroe insisted South Africa is safe and open for tourism, business and other travel. His reassurance comes as renewed worries swirl over attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Western Cape.
Those attacks — often blamed on job competition and claims of criminality — have led to shop looting, assaults and forced displacements. The violence sparked outrage in Nigeria and across the continent. In response, the federal government says it helped repatriate over 1,400 Nigerians who were stranded or feared for their safety.
Moroe said the surge in visa applications shows Nigerians still see South Africa as a viable destination. He also pushed back against online claims that South African missions in Nigeria no longer issue visas, calling those reports untrue.
“I just want to give reassurance that South Africa is open for business, South Africa is open for tourism, and South Africa is open for any other form of visit. And it is also untrue to suggest that South African missions in Nigeria do not offer visas to Nigerians anymore.
“But I can assure you and the listeners, that it is safe to travel to South Africa. I indicated during the beginning of the show that the number of visa applications have almost doubled,” he said.
Moroe urged travellers to get the right visas and follow immigration laws. “It is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that before you travel, you ensure that you have your visa, you comply with the immigration laws of the country, you become a good ambassador of your country,” he advised.
“When you get to South Africa, you know and understand your rights, but you must also familiarise yourself with the laws of the country.
“You choose places that you want to visit… and ensure that you also are familiar with the location of law enforcement agencies, just in case something happens,’’ Moroe added.
He expressed confidence that visits between the two countries will keep growing, saying South Africa values its relationship with Nigeria.
