The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities said Friday that the Portuguese government is ready to “provide all necessary support” to a community in South Africa that has been affected by the violence that has been going on in the country for more than a week.

It is true that this is not just a problem, it is not just a material problem, it is a problem that suddenly suffers a person who has been there for many years, who has his own business, who has his life organized. such a situation, and also, from a psychological point of view, it is obvious that it affects the community and people. We know this and we will also be here to provide all the support needed, ”he told Luce Berta Nunes.

The minister spoke on the sidelines of the final meeting of the annual meeting of the three thematic commissions of the Council of Portuguese Communities in Lisbon.

“We want to be closer to the communities and we are close to the communities,” said Berta Nunes, stressing that the Portuguese diplomatic mission in South Africa has been mobilized to respond to requests for information. According to the Secretary of State, the Portuguese authorities left “immediately” to “monitor the situation”…

“We met with his ambassador, and the ambassador wrote a letter to the community on Tuesday, providing the contacts of the consulate in Johannesburg, where there were several unrest, in the province of Gauteng, and established all possible contacts with the local population. “, Pointed. Berta Nunes noted that most of the local contacts were for information requests and that there was no “request to leave the country”.

We did not have a request to leave the country because, in fact, our community has already gone through serious situations in South Africa. Over time, it has undergone several twists and turns, and our community already has sufficient potential, stability, organization and knowledge. to be able to organize and protect yourself in such situations, ”said Berta Nunes.

“This is what happened to us and we are happy to say – and we are glad to be able to say – that no death, no serious injury“, – added the ruler.

ABOUT Vandalized and looted Portuguese businessesThe secretary of state says that there have already been contacts on all known situations. “We found that the vast majority have insurance and that in terms of material damage, this situation will be insured in most situations,” he concluded.

A counselor at the Portuguese consulate in Johannesburg says he is “shocked” by Portugal’s lack of interest.

After the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, South Africa plunged into unprecedented protests and looting in the recent history of the country. The presidency of the Republic of South Africa guaranteed a return to normalcy in the country this Friday after eight days of extreme violence, which has already killed at least 212 people and arrested more than 2,550.

It is estimated that some 450,000 Portuguese and Portuguese descendants live in South Africa, of which at least 200,000 in Johannesburg and Gauteng and 20,000 in KwaZulu-Natal, but according to the Madeira diaspora advisor in the country, there are no citizens among them. victims. About one hundred businesses of six major Portuguese businessmen, including the children of Madeira, in the food and beverage sector were looted and destroyed.