JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Department of International Relation and Cooperation (Dirco) on Thursday confirmed the temporary closure of the country's High Commission in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos.
They stated that both offices were closed on Tuesday following safety concerns reported to the South African government by officials at both these missions.
Last Sunday some people in Johannesburg started looting shops belonging to foreigners and South Africans and burning them.
"This followed the receipt of threats against the mission staff as well as the property of South Africa. After extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders as well as a security assessment of threats, the mission and the department took the decision to close the offices," said Dirco's spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele.
He pointed out that there was no direct physical threat to any of the diplomats and staff or buildings.
Dirco said the South African head of mission is communicating with the authorities in Nigeria who are providing extra security at their offices.
"We view their safety as a priority and have thus taken the precautionary measure of closing, while the situation remains somewhat unpredictable. The department has received reports of marches by demonstrators to South African companies as well as attempts to attack them," said Ngqengelele.
South African people start looting and burning shops owned by foreigners including Nigerians from last week. Violence across Gauteng resulted in seven confirmed deaths and more than 180 arrests as police and residents clash.
South African-owned businesses operating in Nigeria are being targeted with violence in retaliation. Nigerian students gave South African companies seven days to leave the country, according to media reports.
