Shortly after Nigeria announced it will evacuate citizens from South Africa, Ghana has followed suit with plans to remove 300 of its nationals amid escalating anti-immigrant protests.
Ghanaian President granted approval on Tuesday for the “immediate evacuation” of distressed citizens who have registered at the country’s embassy in Pretoria, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said in a post on X.
The move comes as thousands of South Africans have taken to the streets demanding mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, with protesters citing concerns over jobs, housing and crime.
Ghana’s embassy in South Africa has urged nationals to exercise extreme caution and avoid public gatherings. The mission also advised Ghanaians to close shops and businesses in Durban ahead of a protest scheduled for Wednesday.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday dismissed the demonstrations as “isolated acts of criminality” that do not reflect government policy.
“South Africa will regulate migration, secure our borders and enforce our laws,” Ramaphosa said, while authorities maintain that widely circulated videos purporting to show attacks on foreigners are fake.
Ghana has escalated the matter to the African Union, warning the situation poses a “serious risk to the safety and wellbeing” of Africans in South Africa. Pretoria responded by saying it had “nothing to hide” and condemned what it termed fake videos and images.
Both Ghana and Nigeria have summoned South African diplomats to their capitals over alleged mistreatment and harassment of their citizens. Nigeria on Monday announced plans to evacuate 130 people, with Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu reporting that two Nigerians died last month in separate incidents involving South African security personnel.
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Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe have also issued warnings to their citizens in South Africa.
Official statistics show South Africa hosts more than 3 million foreigners, representing about 5% of the population, though the actual number including undocumented migrants is believed to be significantly higher.
The tensions come ahead of municipal elections scheduled for 4 November, with xenophobic violence having periodically erupted in Africa’s most industrialised nation over the years.
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