More than 800 Ghanaians have formally registered for evacuation from South Africa, prompting the Government of Ghana to delay the planned repatriation exercise as authorities finalise logistical and legal arrangements.
The development was confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ghana), which said the evacuation, initially scheduled to begin on May 21, 2026, has been deferred by several days to allow for coordination between Ghanaian and South African authorities.
“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,” the ministry said.
Officials said the postponement was necessary due to procedural requirements, including passenger screening, inter-agency coordination and flight clearances.
“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, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days,” the ministry stated.
The evacuation effort comes amid heightened tensions in parts of South Africa, where recent public marches calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country have fuelled anxiety among migrant communities.
While authorities have not linked the evacuation directly to specific incidents, the Ghanaian government acknowledged that citizens had raised concerns over safety, leading to the large-scale registration for assisted departure.
Ghanaian officials said both countries are working to streamline pre-evacuation processes to speed up the operation once flights are approved.
“Ghanaian and South African authorities have agreed to enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process.”
The ministry added that diplomatic engagement remains ongoing at senior levels, with both governments focused on ensuring the safe and orderly return of affected nationals.
“Senior government officials on both sides remain actively engaged on this important exercise,” it said.
The Ghanaian government has assured citizens in South Africa that updates will be communicated as arrangements progress, urging calm and patience as evacuation procedures are finalised.
IOL News
