Three hundred citizens of Ghana lined up at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport early Wednesday morning to catch one of the initial flights back to their homeland following weeks of anti-foreigner demonstrations that raised security fears across South Africa.
The departing group consisted of women and children among the 300 individuals, with officials calling it a voluntary evacuation program for Ghanaian residents who reported feeling unsafe in the country.
Officials from South Africa have been collaborating with their Ghanaian counterparts to process a roster of approximately 800 individuals who have expressed interest in departing.
An unnamed South African immigration officer told the eNCA television network: “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 evacuation came after weeks of anti-foreigner demonstrations, with protesters calling for stricter enforcement against what they termed illegal immigrants and blaming foreign residents for contributing to criminal activity and joblessness.
The demonstrations have been marked by violent incidents targeting migrants from various sub-Saharan African nations.
A Ghanaian citizen preparing for departure said continuous intimidation influenced his choice to leave.
“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,” the man told reporters, choosing not to reveal his identity.
Organizations advocating for migrant rights argue that foreign nationals are being unfairly blamed by South Africans for the nation’s economic challenges, including joblessness rates exceeding 30% that particularly impact the Black community.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, explained that the departures were designed to reduce tensions while maintaining positive diplomatic relations between both nations.
“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,” Quashie stated, rejecting suggestions of strained diplomatic relations with South Africa.
South African officials have denounced attacks against foreign residents and promised to take action against xenophobic violence, stating such behavior contradicts the country’s democratic principles.
