ACCRA, Ghana (FN), Ghana has summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner in Accra to protest recent xenophobic incidents targeting Ghanaian citizens and other African migrants, officials said Monday. The move comes after viral videos showed vigilante groups confronting foreigners in South Africa, including a Ghanaian legal resident, and telling them to “fix your country.”
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the harassment undermines the dignity and rights of law‑abiding citizens. “We cannot accept the intimidation of Ghanaians who have every right to live and work legally in South Africa,” Ablakwa told reporters after meeting with envoy Thando Dalamba.
South African authorities condemned the incidents, calling them unlawful, and pledged investigations. The government has faced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence in recent years, often linked to economic pressures such as high unemployment and strained public services.
Similar episodes have strained South Africa’s relations with other African nations in the past. In 2019, Nigeria recalled its ambassador after attacks on Nigerian businesses in Johannesburg. In 2015, Malawi and Zimbabwe issued travel advisories following deadly riots against migrants. Each time, South Africa promised reforms, but critics say little has changed.
Policy makers and civil society groups in Ghana have urged stronger protections for migrants. The Ghanaian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee called the attacks “a betrayal of African solidarity,” while advocacy groups demanded that South Africa prosecute perpetrators swiftly. On social media, reactions were sharp: many Ghanaians expressed anger and disappointment, with hashtags like StopXenophobia and ProtectAfricans trending locally. Others called for reciprocal measures, urging Ghana to tighten its own immigration policies.
The incident underscores the fragile balance between pan‑African unity and domestic economic frustrations. With more than 2.4 million foreign‑born residents in South Africa, tensions over jobs and services often spill into anti‑migrant protests. Ghana’s démarche signals that xenophobia is not just a local issue but a regional diplomatic concern, raising pressure on Pretoria to act decisively.
