The Government of Ghana has officially sanctioned the emergency evacuation of 300 citizens from South Africa.
This directive comes after a surge in targeted violence and rising social tensions within various South African provinces.
It was gathered that the evacuation of 300 citizens was sanctioned by the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama following harrowing reports of harassment and physical threats against Ghanaian migrants residing in the region.
The decision to bring citizens home follows weeks of diplomatic friction between many African nations and South Africa. Viral videos depicting the mistreatment of foreign nationals, including a widely shared clip of a Ghanaian man being interrogated by a hostile crowd, prompted Ghana’s Foreign Ministry to take swift action.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed this in a statement issued via his X handle.
According to him, the affected citizens had earlier complied with the Foreign Ministry’s advisory and registered with the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria for evacuation assistance.
He wrote: “His Excellency John Mahama has granted presidential approval for the immediate evacuation of 300 Ghanaians in South Africa.
“These distressed Ghanaians had earlier complied with the Foreign Ministry’s advisory and registered with our High Commission in Pretoria to be rescued following the latest wave of xenophobic attacks.”
Ablakwa added that the government remains committed to protecting its citizens both at home and abroad.
The evacuation comes as reports emerge of harassment and attacks on foreign-owned businesses, particularly in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal and Durban.
Other African nations have taken similar steps following raising cases of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
In response, Nigeria’s government, through Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, announced a voluntary repatriation program for its citizens.
Over 130 Nigerians have already registered with Nigerian missions in South Africa for assistance to return home, with the number expected to rise.
Recall also that the Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg recently confirmed that the two victims, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, were killed in separate incidents linked to the attacks.
The Consul-General, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, disclosed in a statement on Monday that Emmanuel died from injuries allegedly sustained after being beaten by personnel of the South African National Defence Force on April 20.
Andrew, she said, was apprehended on April 19 in the Booysens area of Pretoria following an alleged altercation with members of the Tshwane Metro Police, and his body was later discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary.
President Bola Tinubu has also directed the establishment of crisis notification centres to support distressed nationals.
