Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie,has confirmed Wednesday, May 27 as the the arrival date of the first batch of Ghanaians in South Africa amid heightened tensions of xenophobic attacks on foreigners including Ghanaians.

He revealed this during an interview with German media house, DW Africa, on Sunday, May 24, addressing increased concerns over foreigners' safety in South Africa amid renewed xenophobic violent attacks against them.

According to him, the first aircraft will carry about 300 passengers, followed by two more flights in the days ahead.

“The first group has an aircraft that will take 300, and after a few days, we will take another 300, and then there will be a third flight with another 300 to ensure that we get everyone home,” he said

Mr Quarshie continued that Ghanaian authorities are working closely with South African officials to complete screening and verification processes before finalising the list of evacuees.

As authorities from both countries are working around the clock to ensure a smooth and coordinated departure.

“We are screening them, and once we are done, we will let them know the number of people who will be going to Ghana,” he said.

During the interview, he revealed that Home Affairs will set up at 10 am on that day for returnees to be able to leave on Wednesday at 6 am for Ghana,” he stated.

Earlier, the Ministry confirmed that over eight hundred (800) Ghanaians have registered at their Commission in Pretoria, for voluntary evacuation due to the worsening xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Consequently, “the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions”.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to provide an update on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, which was scheduled to commence today, 21 May, 2026. The Government of Ghana notes that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered with our High Commission in Pretoria seeking to be evacuated due to the latest wave of xenophobic attacks.

Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and flight permits, parts of the statement read.

To ensure that all the necessary regulatory requirements are met, an additional day of preparation to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation process.

“Ghanaian and South African authorities have agreed to enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process”, the Ministry added.

Govt pledges support package for SA repatriates

Before the planned evacuation, the government announced a support package for Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa.

In a statement shared on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MoFA) official X (formerly Twitter) account on May 20, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that returnees would receive a welcome-home financial package, transportation assistance to their destinations across Ghana, and a reintegration allowance.

The package also included free psychosocial support for those who may have experienced trauma or violence, as well as counselling and medical assistance to aid their recovery.

In addition, the government indicated that the evacuees would be enrolled in a special database for job and startup opportunities as part of efforts to support their reintegration.

The Ministry described the intervention as part of the government's commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad and assisting them during times of crisis, stating that it valued and cherished all Ghanaian citizens.

The support package was announced ahead of the planned evacuation of the first batch of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa on a special chartered flight. The evacuation had been approved by President John Dramani Mahama after Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, reported growing fears among Ghanaians living in the country amid renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.

Is this the first time xenophobic attacks have happened in SA?

The recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners by South African nations aren'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 period of 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.