The first group of Ghanaian nationals set for evacuation from South Africa gathered Sunday at the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria for security screening and registration ahead of their departure on Wednesday.
The repatriation comes as tensions between some local groups and foreign nationals have escalated in recent weeks, prompting Ghana to arrange emergency flights for citizens wishing to return home.
Families with children and individuals who reported threats or attacks are being prioritized for the first flight.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the repatriation is voluntary and follows direct appeals from nationals who no longer feel safe.
An estimated 2,000 Ghanaians live in South Africa, many working as traders, teachers, and in the service sector.
This marks Ghana’s first organized airlift since the 2019 xenophobic attacks, when Nigeria and other countries also evacuated citizens.
The Ghana High Commission says more flights will be arranged based on demand.
Wednesday’s flight is expected to carry over 120 people to Accra.
South Africa has seen recurring waves of xenophobic violence since 2008, often linked to high unemployment, economic hardship, and competition for jobs and housing.
Foreign nationals from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, and other African countries have been targeted in sporadic attacks in townships and informal settlements.
The current flare-up began early this month after a service delivery protest in Johannesburg turned violent.
Some groups blamed foreign shop owners and workers for taking jobs, leading to looting, assaults, and displacement of migrants. Police report dozens of businesses owned by non-South Africans were vandalized in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
At least seven people have died in the recent unrest, with hundreds displaced and sheltering in churches and police stations, according to humanitarian groups.
The South African government has condemned the violence and deployed additional police.
Authorities say they are working with diplomatic missions to protect foreign nationals, while President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for calm and “African unity.” Several African nations have begun evacuation plans for their citizens.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
