The South African government sent an official apology letter to this effect to Nigeria. Peoples Daily investigations revealed that the South African government, which had earlier adopted a hard line stance over the Yellow fever card imbroglio, was forced to retreat primarily to protect its economy and the business interests of some of its top citizens domiciled in Nigeria.
A reliable source in one of the South African firms in the country told our reporter yesterday that investors in his company, some of who are members of the ruling African National Congress ANC in South Africa had to pressure the government of the country to see reason why allowing the diplomatic row to linger would hurt their own nation more than Nigeria.
In offering the unreserved apology to the Nigerian government over the saga, Deputy. Accordingly, the two countries have, through diplomatic channels, consulted at the highest level on the ways of avoiding a recurrence of such development. He said both countries were considering implementing a variety of measures to strengthen the historic bilateral relationship between the two sisters African countries.
Ebrahim said the two countries had agreed that the. Nigeria- South Africa Bi-National Commission should be revived as soon as possible so as to forestall future occurrence of such disagreement. The two sides also agreed that the Immigration Working Group under the Commission be revived to iron out consular issues.
Ebrahim said further that the two sides had agreed that their immigration officials should be first. He said where there was a need for mass deportation of Nigerians from South Africa senior officials of the department should be consulted. It will be recalled that Nigeria avenged the poor treatment of its nationals by deporting at least 84 South Africans back to their country from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, causing further damage to the already strained relationship between the two countries.
