An eye for an eye might not be the most effective means of curbing the wave of xenophobic attacks currently sweeping the country, but it seems the threat is real enough to cause South African businesses operating around Africa some real headaches.

The latest company to withdraw employees for their own safety is Sasol, who repatriated South Africans currently working on a string of projects in Mozambique. Nigeria looks like it will be next, with the Mail and Guardian reporting:

…the newly-elected All People’s Congress (APC) together with civil society handed a memorandum to the South African embassy in Lagos on Wednesday, giving the government 48 hours to stop the violence, or else South African businesses in Nigeria would be shut down.

It puts businesses such as MTN, Shoprite, Pick n Pay and Multichoice in a tight spot, as their African operations contribute significantly to company revenues.

A large portion of MTN’s revenue is generated from Nigeria alone, and Shoprite currently operates 357 outlets in the rest of Africa. How well do those outlets do, though? Mail and Guardian again:

Last year a report revealed that just five Shoprite stores in Angola sold more cans of energy drink Red Bull than in all of Shoprite’s 382 stories in South Africa, and 19 Shoprite stores in Angola sold more bottles of the ubiquitous sparkling wine JC Le Roux than the entire South African business did.

Yeah, can’t say I saw that one coming. Spare a thought for our workers overseas, and spare a thought too for those living in fear within our borders. As you can see, there really are no winners.

[source:mg]