South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Ambassador Lulu Mgnuni has denied that there is an impending diplomatic standoff between both countries because of the seizure of funds from Nigeria by the South African authorities.
The envoy told Daily Sun in Abuja that Nigeria and South Africa had come a long way to allow anything to come between them. South Africa, he noted, has long fundamental contradictions with Nigeria, saying the current differences were non basic. “I think anything can be solved amicably by our two countries. We are friends, we are time-tested friends”, he is quoted as saying.
Asked what steps Nigeria and South Africa were taking to resolve the issue, he said some discussions had already started between the two countries.
Mgnuni added that the matter would be finalised through legitimate ways, saying that both countries will continue to play a constructive role, in partnerships, and leadership role on the African continent.
Further questioned on why South Africa was taking an extreme position on the matter, the envoy said; “I don’t think there is any extreme position that has been taken. When our agents on the ground found it that certain laws had been broken, of course, we had to intervene. When Nigeria approached us and said look, this happened in line with our interest, we have to understand and see how we can resolve the matter together amicably.”
