Nearly 300 Ghanaians Return Home as South Africa’s Anti-Immigrant Unrest Deepens
JOHANNESBURG/ACCRA — Nearly 300 Ghanaian nationals landed in Accra on Wednesday, after weeks of anti-immigrant protests in South Africa left many foreign residents fearing for their safety. The repatriation, which authorities described as voluntary, included children and was the first large-scale departure since tensions flared.
The group boarded a flight from Johannesburg to the Ghanaian capital under a coordinated effort by South African and Ghanaian officials. A list of about 800 people who have expressed a desire to leave is still being processed, according to Ghana’s High Commission in South Africa.
A South African immigration official, speaking on condition of anonymity during a broadcast by local channel eNCA, said: “What we found is that of the 300, only 10 of them are legal in the country, so quite a number of them are in non-compliance to our immigration act.” The comment highlights the complex legal status of many African migrants living in South Africa, where undocumented residency has become a flashpoint in public debate.
To expedite the departures, the Ghanaian Embassy issued emergency travel certificates to those who had overstayed their visas, allowing them to return without facing fines or detention. Officials in Accra negotiated the release of 26 returnees who had been held in South Africa for immigration violations.
Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, personally welcomed the returnees at Kotoka International Airport. “Wherever Ghanaians are, we will make sure you are protected, your dignity is respected, and we will go to the length of this world to bring you back home,” he told the crowd. He added that the government would provide psychosocial support and a modest allowance to help them reintegrate.
The repatriation comes against a backdrop of escalating anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. In recent weeks, protest groups have demanded tougher border controls and accused migrants from other African countries of fueling crime and taking jobs from locals. The demonstrations have at times turned violent, with reported attacks on foreign-owned businesses and individuals.
Migrant-rights organizations argue that foreigners are being scapegoated for South Africa’s deep-rooted economic woes, including an unemployment rate that exceeds 30% and is highest among Black South Africans. They say such rhetoric risks inflaming xenophobic violence that has periodically erupted in the country since the end of apartheid.
One Ghanaian man, who declined to give his name, said on the day of departure: “I’m happy that I’m going to my country ... it’s not easy to be in someone else’s country and be disturbed all the time.” His sentiment echoed many of those waiting to board the flight to Accra.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said the departures were intended to ease tensions while preserving bilateral ties. “The demonstrators have said they want us to work together. We must ensure that those who are undocumented are returned home and that institutions are allowed to function,” he said, dismissing speculation of a diplomatic rift.
South African authorities have condemned the violence against foreign nationals and pledged to crack down on xenophobic attacks, saying such acts violate the country’s constitutional principles. But critics have urged the government to adopt a more inclusive public discourse to prevent further escalation.
Observers note that the episode underscores the fragile nature of intra-African migration in a region where economic disparities and political instability often force people to move. The repatriation may also set a precedent for other countries whose citizens are caught in similar unrest.