This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On September 17, 2019, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa sent a special envoy to Nigeria to apologise for a wave of xenophobic attacks that targeted foreigners, including Nigerians.
The attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people, including two Zimbabweans and eight South Africans, but no Nigerians, sparked outrage across Africa.
South Africa's special envoy, Jeff Radebe, met with President Muhammadu Buhari and expressed his country's commitment to peace and integration of the continent.
Mr Radebe acknowledged that the attacks did not represent South Africa's 'value system, nor those of the larger number of South Africans', and expressed gratitude for Nigeria's role in ending apartheid.
President Buhari welcomed the apology and thanked President Ramaphosa for sending the special envoy, saying that Nigeria had made great sacrifices for South Africa to become a free state.
