According to officials, one of the incidents involved a Ghanaian legal resident in KwaZulu-Natal who was allegedly confronted and told to return home and “fix his country.”
South Africa, widely regarded as the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long attracted migrants from across Africa. However, with unemployment exceeding 30%, the country has experienced recurring waves of anti-migrant sentiment, protests, and occasional violence.
Recent videos circulating online appear to show Ghanaians being harassed, raising fresh concerns about the safety of foreign nationals.
“This thing of you guys moving from one country to the other, its no longer working,” a woman said on behalf of the group.
“We don’t want these African people anymore. We’re tired of seeing African migrants moving all over the world, refusing to fix your own countries. Now we’re making it very clear to you guys: we don’t want you here, we want you to fix your countries.
“Now you came here with a travelling document, you came with a passport. You know that you’re a visitor, now you’ve decided to integrate into our communities. You know very well what you’re doing is wrong. We can’t come to Ghana and do what you’re doing.”
In the same footage, a man was seen aggressively interrogating the Ghanaian over his travel documents, alleging fraud and compelling him to warn others from Ghana to leave South Africa to avoid similar encounters.
Another video showed a man believed to be Ghanaian being physically assaulted, further heightening fears of targeted violence. In a separate clip, a South African man criticised foreigners for what he described as enjoying comfort while locals struggle.
“They can’t come here and take our sleep away from us,” he said, insisting that “they must go back to their countries”.
The videos began trending online on Tuesday, sparking widespread reactions.
In response, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, engaged South Africa’s acting High Commissioner, Thando Dalamba, over the situation.
Ablakwa stressed Ghana’s historical support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle and condemned what he described as unprovoked harassment of law-abiding migrants. He noted that such actions contradict the ideals of African unity and solidarity.
The Ghanaian government also warned of rising tensions, advising its citizens in South Africa to remain indoors for their safety amid the growing unrest.
Official data from 2022 indicates that about 2.4 million foreign-born individuals live in South Africa, representing roughly four per cent of the population.
The latest diplomatic move underscores increasing concern among African nations over the treatment of their citizens abroad, particularly in countries facing economic strain and rising unemployment.