JOHANNESBURG — Around 300 Ghanaian nationals boarded repatriation flights from Johannesburg on Wednesday after growing anti-immigrant protests and violence in South Africa raised fears over their safety.
The voluntary evacuation effort, coordinated by the Ghanaian government alongside South African authorities, comes amid rising tensions linked to protests targeting undocumented migrants and foreign nationals across parts of South Africa. According to officials, more than 800 Ghanaians have registered to return home as concerns over xenophobic attacks continue to spread.
At Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, families carrying luggage queued for flights back to Ghana, with many saying they no longer felt safe remaining in the country. Some migrants reported harassment, intimidation, and fears of possible attacks as anti-immigrant demonstrations intensified in recent weeks.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said the repatriation exercise was intended to protect citizens while helping to ease tensions. South African authorities have condemned violence against foreign nationals and said immigration laws would continue to be enforced through legal channels.
The protests have been fueled by anger over unemployment, crime, and illegal immigration, issues that have become increasingly sensitive in South Africa, where unemployment remains above 30 percent. Demonstrators have accused undocumented migrants of taking jobs and contributing to criminal activity, claims that migrant advocacy groups say unfairly scapegoat foreigners.
Reuters reported that South African immigration officials said only a small number of the 300 Ghanaians on the first repatriation flight had legal residency documentation.
The latest developments have sparked concern across Africa, with other governments, including Nigeria, also considering or organizing repatriation plans for citizens living in South Africa amid the deteriorating climate for migrants.