South African Politician Sparks Outrage After Labeling Repatriated Nigerians “Horrible” at Airport

A South African political figure has triggered widespread condemnation after making highly inflammatory remarks during a farewell gathering for Nigerians being evacuated from the country amid a devastating wave of anti-immigrant violence.

The individual, identified as Thabile Sibeko, who claims to lead the Inizwe Nathi Party, confronted journalists at a South African airport on Wednesday as the first batch of 262 Nigerian evacuees prepared to board a flight to Lagos. The group, consisting mostly of women and children, safely landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Thursday morning.

During her address, Sibeko explicitly singled out Nigerian nationals from other African migrant groups, using severe rhetoric to blame them for systemic local issues.

“I’m here to bid farewell to Nigeria, to make sure that they are leaving our country,” Sibeko stated. “We did not appreciate the wrongs that you have done, and we hope that you have learned a lesson… Nigeria is horrible, these people are horrible. They’ve killed our children with drugs, and that is the reason why we are so strong on Nigeria because of their behavior.”

Despite her definitive claims of party leadership, public records and South Africa’s Electoral Commission database show no official registration or historical footprint for the “Inizwe Nathi Party,” leading analysts to question the legitimacy of her political organization.

The aggressive confrontation unfolded against a backdrop of severe civil unrest, as armed groups carrying whips, sticks, and shields have marched through several South African communities for weeks, demanding that all undocumented foreign nationals vacate the country by June 30.

Discrepancies have emerged regarding how both nations view the ongoing departures. South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, downplayed the evacuations, framing them as routine immigration enforcement and noting that national deportations have climbed by 46 percent over the last two years. Conversely, Nigerian foreign ministry officials have firmly stated that the citizens are fleeing systemic xenophobic attacks.

With the threat of violence still high, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that more than 1,000 citizens have already registered for voluntary emergency evacuation. A second flight tasked with bringing back the remaining members of the first processed group is scheduled to depart South Africa on Monday, June 15, 2026.