Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, says no Ghanaian has lost his or her life in the ongoing xenophobic attacks.

His remarks follow speculation that some Ghanaians may have been killed in ongoing attacks in parts of South Africa, after videos showing locals targeting foreigners went viral online around April 22-27.

During an interview with Joy News PM Express Show with Evans Mensah on Wednesday, April 30, Mr Quarshie cited that according to official data presented to his outfit by South African authorities, no Ghanaian has lost their life.

“So the current xenophobic actions that are going on, nobody has lost their lives. The statistics are there; they’ve given it to us,” he stated.

He went on to further address a video which went viral, capturing a Ghanaian man who had been reportedly killed in East London. According to him, investigations conducted by his outfit showed that the man was attacked and fatally stabbed by armed robbers, stressing that his death was unrelated to a xenophobic violent attack.

“In fact, there was a story going round about a Ghanaian who had lost his life in East London… We went there yesterday on the instructions of the Foreign Affairs Minister. We got to find out that the gentleman was stabbed to death by armed robbers, and it happened three weeks ago,” he said.

He disclosed that the case came to the authorities' attention only weeks later.

“They just left his body there, and we only got to know after three weeks that the citizen had been stabbed to death,” he added.

According to him, the Ghanian government has stepped in, calling for a thorough investigation into the fatal attack and halting an attempted mass burial until a full probe is completed.

The envoy said the Ghanaian government has since intervened at the highest level. “The Foreign Affairs Minister has officially asked them to open an investigation. In fact, they wanted to mass-bury the gentleman, but the Minister again gave instructions that the gentleman should not be buried until a full investigation is completed,” he said.

He stressed that authorities are seeking clarity and justice. “Until we know who killed him, why he was killed, and compensation given to his family,” he stated.

Mr Quarshie confirmed that the victim’s family in Ghana has been identified and contacted. “We’ve spoken to them. It has been a difficult one for them, because this is the breadwinner in the family,” he said.

Describing the circumstances of the killing, he added, “When you hear the story as to how they killed him, it’s really, really pathetic.”

Despite the incident, he maintained that it should not be conflated with xenophobic violence.

“But I’m sure that the era of Ghanaians or any other person being killed, and South African authorities just brushing it aside… that era is over,” he said while pledging government’s commitment to Ghana’s diplomatic mission.

“We would ensure there’s accountability. Will account for every single individual, be it Ghanaian, be it any African person, Until justice is done, we will not stop,” he added.