Ghana’s government has begun repatriating citizens from South Africa as immigration-related protests raise concerns over safety.
Image: Timothy Bermard/Independent Newspapers
Ghana’s ambassador to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, says another flight will be arranged in the coming days to return Ghanaian nationals who feel unwelcome in South Africa, amid rising immigration protests.
He was speaking at O.R. Tambo International Airport on Wednesday after the first group of 300 Ghanaian nationals, who accepted their government’s voluntary repatriation offer, departed.
The move comes as anti-illegal immigration protests continue to spread across parts of South Africa.
In response, the Ghanaian government has launched the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme for citizens wishing to return home, following growing concerns about safety and wellbeing amid heightened tensions linked to the demonstrations.
Many said they had travelled to South Africa in search of better opportunities.
However, their experiences had become difficult and, in some cases, frightening, leaving them concerned for their safety.
Scores of passengers, including elderly people and young children, gathered at the airport to depart as tensions escalated.
Quashie said there were no diplomatic tensions between Ghana and South Africa, stressing that the two countries remain friendly partners with strong bilateral and multilateral relations.
“What we are doing is to help our citizens who feel unwelcome in this country to go back home,” he said.
“I don’t think that should be seen as diplomatic strain between the two countries. We are looking at a number well above a thousand.”
He said about 890 people had registered for the repatriation programme so far, with the initial flight carrying 300 passengers.
The next flight is expected to depart within the next few days.
“We can take another 300 people. We’ll continue doing this. The numbers will grow each day because whenever any Ghanaian feels they are not welcome in this country and wants to go home, the government will ensure they return,” he said.
Quashie added that arrangements had been made for further flights in the coming days. “We are aware that the same aircraft company has been hired again for another batch leaving in less than a week,” he said.
“We will continue until any Ghanaian in this country who wants to go home is fully repatriated.”
The first group of 300 Ghanaian nationals has left South Africa under a voluntary programme amid rising anti-illegal immigration demonstrations.
Image: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers
Ealier, the Department of Home Affairs’ head of immigration and law enforcement, Stephen van Neel, said 30 of the 300 Ghanaians departing on Wednesday had been held at the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
“What we found is that, obviously, we got the list and one of the areas that we were concerned about was that not many of them had actual documents,” Van Neel said.
“We had to verify the information we received from the embassy against the systems of the Department of Home Affairs and others to ensure these were indeed people we could allow to depart.
“In terms of the security vetting and checks, we are satisfied that those departing can do so. More importantly, those who are non-compliant must still face the necessary enforcement and sanctions, especially those who have overstayed or do not have valid documents.”
Van Neel confirmed that some of those returning to Ghana had been detained at Lindela.
“As a department, we made use of the opportunity when the Ghanaians indicated they wanted to take people back. We have a number of nationalities in our holding facility, where individuals are detained until they are deported,” he said.
“They allowed us to place close to 30 people on this morning’s flight back to Ghana.”
The repatriation comes as tensions over illegal migration continue to rise in South Africa, with nationwide demonstrations expected on June 30, 2026.
The activist group March and March, which has led demonstrations against undocumented foreign nationals across the country, has threatened a national shutdown on June 30 if the government fails to address its demands.
The group is calling for stricter visa regulations, a review of asylum policies, action against businesses employing undocumented migrants, accountability for corrupt police officers and restrictions on public services for undocumented migrants.
Last week, IOL News reported that more than 800 Ghanaians had formally registered for evacuation from South Africa.
The surge in registrations prompted the Ghanaian government to delay the planned repatriation exercise while authorities finalised logistical and legal arrangements.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the evacuation, initially scheduled to begin on May 21, 2026, had been postponed by several days to allow coordination between Ghanaian and South African authorities.
“The Government of Ghana notes that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered with our High Commission in Pretoria seeking evacuation due to the latest wave of xenophobic attacks,” the ministry said.
Ghana says it will continue arranging flights to bring home citizens who feel unwelcome amid escalating tensions in South Africa.
Image: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers
Officiala said the postponement was necessary to meet procedural requirements, including passenger screening, inter-agency coordination and flight clearances.
“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days,” the ministry said.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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