President John Mahama has approved the immediate evacuation of 300 Ghanaians in South Africa following the renewed violent xenophobic tensions launched against foreigners.

This was announced by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in an X post yesterday, Tuesday, May 13, after Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, indicated that growing fears among Ghanaians living in South Africa are gradually informing their decision to return home following the renewed violent xenophobic tensions launched against foreigners.

“His Excellency John Mahama has granted presidential approval for the immediate evacuation of 300 Ghanaians in South Africa. These distressed Ghanaians had earlier complied with the Foreign Ministry’s advisory and registered with our High Commission in Pretoria to be rescued following the latest wave of xenophobic attacks”, the statement noted.

He went on to assure the public of the government’s commitment to safeguard the lives of Ghanaians anywhere around the world.

“The Government of Ghana shall continue to safeguard the welfare of all Ghanaians, at home and abroad”, he added.

High Commissioner of the plight of Ghanaians in South Africa now, govt measures

Mr Benjamin Anani Quashie, indicated that many have lost their businesses and livelihoods.

Speaking on PM Express on Monday, May 11, Mr Quashie said Ghana’s mission in South Africa has already received requests from more than 200 Ghanaians seeking voluntary repatriation.

“We have already received requests from more than 200 Ghanaians who want to voluntarily return home. Many of them have lost their businesses and livelihoods, and the fear of renewed xenophobic attacks is pushing them to seek repatriation,” Mr Quashie noted.

The development comes after Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Akowuah Asamoah, who appeared in a viral video linked to recent xenophobic attacks, returned to Ghana and was offered a job by businessman and millionaire, Ibrahim Mahama.

“Fortunately, Mr Ibrahim Mahama has decided to offer him employment, which he has gladly accepted.”

He added that the gesture by Mr Mahama was to encourage young Ghanaians living abroad in hardship.

“Mr Ibrahim indicated to him that he wants him to be an ambassador so that other Ghanaians in other countries can look up to him and say, when they sacked him from one country, he got back to Ghana, and he was helped and was able to make a difference in his life.”

Consequently, preparations are underway for a massive repatriation exercise by the government, where travel costs and documentation for those without passports will be absorbed by the government, as it intends to ensure the safety of all Ghanaians back home.

“So we’ve been asked by the Minister to gather the names of the Ghanaians. After this evening, we have close to about 200-and-something people who want to come back home.

The ministry is going to take up the cost so that we can ensure that we bring them back home. We don’t want to leave any Ghanaian at the mercy of any other national. Ghanaians are valued in Ghana,” he stressed.

Given the tensions in South Africa, Mr Quashie warned that the number of people seeking repatriation could rise sharply.

When the attacks started in SA and why ?

News of the xenophobic attacks surfaced after videos of nationals were captured attacking foreign nationals showing harassment and intimidation of foreign nationals, including Ghanaians over economic strain including the over 40% unemployment, housing ptrssures, misinformation including reports of foreign nationals taking over SA markets while groups like Operation Dudula and “Put South Africa First” campaigns openly demand foreigners leave, documented or not.

Is this the first time xenophobic attacks are happening in SA?

The recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners by South AFrican nationas isn't the first. SA has a history of violent xenophobic attacks dating as far back as 1998.

In 1998, three foreign nationals were killed in Johannesburg. Two years later, seven more were killed in Cape Town.

After a long quiet in the attacks, the worst in SA's history happened in 2008 when sixty‑two (62) people lost their lives, 1,700 were injured, and about 100,000 were displaced nationwide cementing xenophobia as a recurring national crisis.

In 2015, violence flared again after inflammatory remarks by the Zulu King. The unrest spread across the country, forcing the government to deploy the military to restore order.

By 2019, riots erupted in Durban and Johannesburg, with Nigerian‑owned businesses being specifically targeted.

More recently, between 2022 and 2025, smaller but persistent flare‑ups were linked to vigilante movements such as Operation Dudula. These included blocking foreigners from accessing health facilities in Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal, reflecting how xenophobia had become embedded in everyday life.