Some Ghanaians stranded in South Africa have appealed to the government to extend its voluntary evacuation exercise, saying they are desperate to return home after losing their jobs, businesses and accommodation amid xenophobic attacks.
The appeal comes after the government ended the evacuation exercise following the arrival of the final batch of 41 Ghanaians in Ghana on September 4, bringing the total number of returnees to 1,964.
But some Ghanaians who remain in South Africa say they are still in distress and have appealed for another opportunity to return home.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 7, 2026, one of the stranded Ghanaians, Margaret Amenuvegbe, said she and others had registered for the evacuation but did not attend the subsequent screening because of concerns about the conditions awaiting evacuees.
“We came after the screening. We were supposed to register to come home. We did the registration, but we didn’t come for the screening,” she said.
Amenuvegbe said reports that some Ghanaians who had already arrived at evacuation centres were struggling to find accommodation discouraged them from proceeding with the process.
“We heard that the place was so crowded, and then there’s nowhere to sleep,” she said.
She said some Ghanaians who had sought to return earlier had reportedly been forced to sleep at a church, raising concerns that those joining the evacuation later could face similar difficulties.
Despite those concerns, Amenuvegbe said the group was determined to return to Ghana after allegedly being forced out of their workplaces and accommodation.
“We wanted to come. We were ready to come because they even chased us from where we were working and then where we were sleeping,” she said.
She said four adults and four children in her immediate group are currently seeking to return to Ghana, while several other Ghanaians are also facing similar circumstances.
Amenuvegbe said the situation had become particularly difficult for Ghanaians without valid work permits, adding that she had lived in South Africa for 14 years and worked as a hairdresser before immigration challenges forced her to stop working.
“When you apply for any paper, they don’t issue it,” she said. “Even if you show it to them, they say, yes, we can see you have a paper, but it doesn’t allow you to work.”
According to her, some Ghanaians have also lost their businesses and accommodation, leaving them without stable sources of income or shelter.
“It’s like everything is just- we are desperate,” she said.
Amenuvegbe said she and others are currently staying at a church as they wait for assistance to return to Ghana.
“We are sleeping on the floor,” she said. “Even now the things are getting cooler presently because the weather has changed.”
She therefore appealed to the government to reconsider its decision to end the evacuation exercise, saying those stranded remain in urgent need of assistance.
“We are on our knees. We are begging,” she said. “We don’t want anything. The only thing we have to say is that we are on our knees. We are begging.”
Amenuvegbe said the stranded Ghanaians were prepared to leave immediately if the government reopened the evacuation programme.
“Even if they say this night we are ready to go,” she said. “This night, this week, we are ready to go.”
The government began the voluntary evacuation exercise in May following xenophobic attacks targeting migrants in parts of South Africa.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said the exercise was intended to assist Ghanaians affected by the attacks and facilitate their safe return to Ghana. The arrival of the final batch of 41 returnees on September 4 brought the total number evacuated under the exercise to 1,964.
