Ghana begins repatriation from South Africa
Anti-immigrant unrest prompts voluntary return flights
The first group of Ghanaian nationals has been repatriated from South Africa amid heightened anti-immigrant unrest, with a flight carrying women and children departing as part of a voluntary relocation process for those who no longer feel safe. Passengers cited repeated harassment as the reason for returning home; one evacuee said she was relieved to leave after being disturbed while living abroad. Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said the departures aim to ease tensions while preserving diplomatic ties, and dismissed suggestions the evacuations would spark a diplomatic rift between Accra and Pretoria.
Accra said more departures are planned in the coming days and that coordinated flights and consular support are being provided to nationals seeking to return. Ghanaian officials urged citizens in South Africa to register with consular services and avoid high-risk areas as security operations continue. South African authorities have condemned the violence, deployed police units to restore order, and made arrests in some affected areas, while communities reported incidents of looting, assaults and property destruction targeting foreign-owned businesses and residences.
Human rights groups and local leaders link periodic xenophobic attacks in South Africa to unemployment, inequality and competition over jobs and services; the latest unrest has renewed calls for stronger protections for migrant communities and more decisive measures to prevent further escalation. Diplomatic contacts between Ghana and South Africa are ongoing, with officials emphasizing the priority of ensuring the safety of Ghanaian nationals and maintaining cooperation between the two governments as repatriation efforts continue.
