Ghana Prepares Final Repatriations as South Africa Alleges Smear Campaign

The Government of Ghana will begin the final phase of repatriating its citizens from South Africa on July 25, 2026. This operation will return 900 registered citizens, bringing the total number of repatriated Ghanaians to nearly 2,000 following a wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-immigration protests. Other nations, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Kenya, have also conducted similar repatriations. Ghana is further coordinating the return of the body of Bashiru Isak, a tailor who died in Cape Town on June 30; Ghana attributes the death to xenophobia, while South African police describe it as an extortion-related crime.

In response, the South African Presidency has accused Ghana of leading a campaign to spread false information and portray South Africa as a diplomatically isolated pariah state. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stated that this effort, supported to a lesser extent by Nigeria, uses the protests as a guise. The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation has raised these concerns directly with the Ghanaian High Commissioner.

South African authorities deny systemic xenophobia, claiming they are merely enforcing immigration laws, which has resulted in over 53,000 deportations of undocumented foreigners. The Presidency also denied reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa was rebuffed in a request for a state visit to Ghana, with Magwenya citing ongoing international investment as evidence against claims of isolation.