By Bulelwa Hoala
- Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced plans to evacuate Ghanaian citizens from South Africa following concerns over alleged xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant protests in Johannesburg and Durban.
- The Ghanaian government said returning citizens would receive financial assistance, transport, psychological support, reintegration aid, and access to job and startup opportunities.
- South Africa’s DIRCO said law enforcement agencies had been instructed to protect foreign nationals and warned against misinformation and fake videos circulating on social media about the situation.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, announced plans to evacuate Ghanaian citizens from South Africa following concerns over alleged xenophobic attacks.
In a notice posted on its official X account, the ministry said citizens returning from South Africa would receive several forms of support from the Ghanaian government.
These include:
- A welcome-home financial package
- Transportation to various destinations in Ghana
- A reintegration allowance
- Free psychological support
- Entry into a special database for jobs and startup opportunities
“We value and cherish all our citizens,” the ministry stated.
The announcement comes after Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Monday, 18 May, that the first group of 300 Ghanaians would be evacuated from South Africa on 21 May 2026.
“The welfare and safety of all Ghanaians is a non-negotiable priority of the Mahama administration,” Ablakwa said.
According to the evacuation plan, Ghanaian citizens were expected to depart on a special chartered flight from OR Tambo International Airport at 5AM.
The notice further reassured citizens that the evacuation process was free and fully funded by the Ghanaian government. Citizens were urged to contact the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria for further information.
However, according to Newzroom Afrika, only one person was reportedly seen at the airport, with no confirmation from the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) on whether the flight eventually departed.
The developments follow a series of anti-immigrant marches in parts of South Africa, including Johannesburg and Durban, which sparked concern among several African nations.
According to the BBC, Ghana also wrote to the African Union (AU), requesting discussions on the matter and warning that the situation posed a “serious risk to the safety and well-being” of Africans living in South Africa.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) responded in a statement issued on 8 May, saying law enforcement agencies had been instructed to protect foreign nationals and act against perpetrators involved in acts of intimidation and violence.
“Following sporadic incidents of confrontation against some immigrants, among them citizens of fellow African states residing in South Africa by sections in our communities earlier this month, the South African government moved swiftly to condemn acts of confrontation and intimidation,” DIRCO said.
The department added that Minister Ronald Lamola had engaged with several African foreign ministers, including counterparts from Ghana and Nigeria, to reassure them that the matter was receiving attention from South African authorities.
DIRCO also cautioned against misinformation circulating online.
“South Africa cautions against manipulated footage and divisive narratives, including fake videos that have been circulating on various social media platforms,” the department said.
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