Grief-stricken Nigerian community in South Africa has confirmed the vicious killing of two members within 48 hours, barely a month after President Jacob Zuma was honoured by the Imo State Government.

In October, a Nigerian man was shot dead in South Africa over an alleged 300 Rand (about N7,500) parking lot debt.

A source close to the Nigerian community told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Johannesburg, yesterday, that the first victim, Ikechukwu Mmanwoke Edmond, 40, was killed on November 11.

The source said the deceased, a businessman and native of Ihembosi, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra, was killed in front of his house on Amant Street, Malvern, Johannesburg.

It quoted an eyewitness and neighbour of Ikechukwu, Sibongile as saying that six men came to their house and started breaking doors and taking out their personal effects.

“When she (Sibongile ) raised alarm, they started beating her. When Ikechukwu came in and saw what was happening, he brought out his phone to call the police.

“A member of the gang took a brick and hit him in the face and he fell down. When the police arrived, he was already dead,” the source told NAN.

The second victim, Eluka Agu, native of Ihiala also from Anambra, was allegedly robbed and then beaten by some South Africans at Oliven, Centurion on Monday (Nov. 13).

The said the police came and took him away to his house for a search.

“The victim pleaded with the police to take him to the hospital for treatment but they refused.

“After searching his house without finding anything, he died as a result of the severe beating.”

As usual, the Nigerian community in the area which expressed worry about the incidents, had vowed to take up the matter with “appropriate authorities,” the source added.

During the military administration of then General Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria spearheaded the struggles that ended Aparthied in South Africa.

Among other efforts, the military administration of Gen. Obasanjo contributed $3.7 million to the fund and also committed personal donation of $3,000 to the fund.

All Nigerian civil servants and public officers at the time made a two per cent donation from their monthly salaries to the fund while Nigerian students skipped their lunch to make donations, and by June 1977, the total contribution to the fund had reached $10.5 million.

Between 1973 and 1978, Nigeria contributed $39,040 to the UN Educational and Training Programme for South Africa and in 1976, Nigeria boycotted the 1976 Olympics and Commonwealth games in 1979 as part of protest against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

The late Sunny Okosun of Nigeria composed a song called “Fire in Soweto” in 1977 to show support for the fight against apartheid.