Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa Benjamin Anani Quashie said there are around 800 Ghanaians in the country who want to return home.
He added that the first group of 300 will leave on Wednesday.
Almost 1 000 Ghanaians want to leave SA
He said there are close to 16 000 Ghanaians in South Africa.
“Out of those 16 000, we are getting close to 1 000 that want to go back home. We have registered 810 currently,” said Quashie.
The high commissioner said most of the Ghanaians were in South Africa legally, but some of them have struggled to get their permits renewed.
He made these comments as some Ghanaians startedgathering outside the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria on Sunday for a security screening process.
It comes after Ghana announced this week that it would evacuate more than 800 of its citizens after a viral video showing the alleged assault of a Ghanaian man, Emmanuel Akowuah Asamoah.
Asamoah has already returned to Ghana.
‘Stop the xenophobic attacks’
The repatriation of the Ghanaians comes after anti-immigrant protests have flared up again in South Africa.
Analysts say the protests are a result of public anger over unemployment, crime and deteriorating services, with foreigners becoming easy scapegoats.
Quashie on Sunday admitted that illegal immigration is a problem, but stressed that it needs to be solved without violence.
“You’ve heard the president of South Africa speak to the issue and say stop the xenophobic attacks. The minister of police has said the same thing, I’ve heard other top South African politicians say the same thing. Let’s get to how we solve this problem, but let’s not take the law into our own hands,” he said.
South Africa hits back at Ghana’s criticism
Earlier in the month, Ghana requested a debate at the African Union (AU) on the “recurrence of xenophobic incidents” in South Africa.
“It is particularly troubling that manifestations of xenophobia, including violent attacks against fellow Africans, have persisted in recent years. This development is especially concerning when viewed in the light of the longstanding solidarity demonstrated by African states in support of the struggle against apartheid and South Africa’s subsequent democratic transformation,” it said.
However, South Africa said the “sporadic incidents of confrontation against some immigrants” were dealt with and condemned by the government.
“South Africa will continue to lead with a Pan-African heart. Our commitment is to solidarity, the rule of law, and the safety of all who reside within our borders. Migration must be managed through cooperation, compassion and continental responsibility,” Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola said.
The South African government also raised concerns about governance failures in other African countries that have forced people to flee, with many ending up in South Africa.
Some Ghanaians outside the high commission on Sunday told the SABC that they did not feel safe in South Africa.
SA government ‘needs to do more’
Some critics say the South African government needs to do more to stop xenophobic attacks.
Speaking to The Citizen earlier this month, brand reputation strategist Solly Moeng said the government needs to take action against South Africans who attack foreigners.
He said there were many law-abiding, legal foreign nationals in South Africa.
“It needs leadership at the highest level to say enough is enough, and then there must be arrests and prosecutions of any violent act. Nothing should justify this. The world must see the government acting against these things,” said Moeng.
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