Africans in Guangzhou, China, are complaining that Chinese authorities in the city have subjected them to forced evictions, arbitrary quarantines and mass coronavirus testing as the country seeks to contain cases of imported infections.
However, China says while it has managed to contain the spread of local infections, there have been cases linked to the Nigerian community in the city that have sparked the alleged discrimination by locals and official charged with the prevention of infections.
Authorities say Guangzhou had confirmed 114 imported coronavirus cases as of Thursday, 16 of which were Africans. The rest were returning Chinese nationals.
Media reports indicate that several Africans have been forcibly evicted from their homes and turned away by hotels. Video footage shared on social media showed African sleeping on the streets.
China needs to Treat our African brothers in Guangzhou well. AFRICAN people have never mistreated Chinese no matter all the fraud businesses they operate on this continent.
Evicting Africans from Hotels and Restaurants is unacceptable and Africa deserves an apology!!! pic.twitter.com/C8H0aMu642
— King Of East Africa ?? (@Ugaman01) April 8, 2020
There are credible reports about a widespread crackdown on Africans in Guangzhou who are being forced to leave hotels and residences with some people apparently now rendered homeless.
Here is another video from China. The China authorities are kicking Nigerians and other blacks out of their houses and seizing their passports. Have you seen this @abikedabiri? #ChinaMustExplain pic.twitter.com/xWvVuVI8uu
— Olúyẹmí Fásípè ?? (@YemieFash) April 8, 2020
Like many countries across the world, China has banned foreign nationals from entering the country and many travellers are being sent into 14-day quarantine.
Letters from Kenya and Sierra Leone foreign affairs ministry expressed concern over the recent cases of racist abuse and sought an explanation from Chinese authorities. Kenyans in China have asked their government to evacuate them due to a rise in cases of racism but authorities in Kenya has not positively responded to these requests
Why don’t you forget a minute about western politics and focus on what is happening right now in Guangzhou where Chinese government is practicing big xenophobia on Africans by putting every African out of their apartment to a quarantine hotel paid by Africans themselves! pic.twitter.com/T5KVtzj7EF
— Rich Gang Power Circle (@GangCircle) April 10, 2020
Meanwhile, South Africa repatriated 121 of its citizens from Wuhan, in China, last month. The students were kept in quarantine at The Ranch Hotel outside Polokwane in Limpopo as a precaution, with none of them showing any coronavirus symptoms.
The group was later released after 21-days of quarantine and declared COVID-19 free and joined their families.
In the video below the SAA chartered plane carrying the repatriated South Africans lands at the Gateway Airport in Polokwane in Limpopo.
AU Chairperson expresses concern
AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has met with the Chinese Ambassador to the AU, Liu Yaki, to express concern about allegations that Africans are being mistreated in China during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mahamat, who has called for immediate remedial action to be taken against the alleged xenophobia, says the African group is also engaging authorities in Beijing.
He says those affected will be assisted accordingly. But there are opposing reports which suggest that some of the evictees do not hold valid documentation. Beijing is yet to issue a formal update on the matter.
Additional reporting by SABC News
