Ghana Summons South African Diplomat Over Vigilante Attacks on West African Migrants
Ghana’s foreign affairs ministry has summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner to Accra, Thando Dalamba, to lodge a formal protest following documented instances of harassment against Ghanaian nationals in South Africa. The ministry cited video clips circulating online showing vigilante groups questioning the immigration status of individuals, including a Ghanaian man who was accosted despite possessing valid documents.
Vigilante Actions and Diplomatic Response
The Ghanaian foreign ministry stated that such conduct “undermines the dignity and rights of law-abiding citizens”. One video showed a group of South Africans demanding to see a Ghanaian man’s documents, then disputing their authenticity, before instructing him to “fix your country”. Ghanaian officials have since met with the man to offer support.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has appealed to Ghanaian citizens in the country to remain “law-abiding” amidst the “dire” situation. Ghanaian Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also communicated with his South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola, who reportedly pledged a full investigation into the incidents. South Africa’s acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia condemned the vigilante actions, asserting that “no individual or group has the authority to take the law into their own hands”.
South Africa hosts approximately 2.4 million migrants, representing just under 4% of its population. Many more are believed to reside in the country unofficially, predominantly from neighbouring Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, which have historically supplied migrant labour.
