Ghana Delays Evacuation of 800 Citizens from South Africa After Viral Assault Video

Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday it has delayed the evacuation of more than 800 citizens from South Africa, hours after the scheduled departure left only one person waiting at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport.

The postponement follows weeks of mounting pressure after footage showing the alleged assault of Emmanuel Asamoah, a Ghanaian living in South Africa, circulated widely on social media during the latest wave of anti-migrant violence sweeping through parts of the country. Asamoah has since returned safely to Ghana.

Why the Delay

According to the ministry's statement, "the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and flight permits" forced the deferral by several days. The complexity of moving hundreds of individuals across borders during a crisis requires synchronization between civil aviation authorities and immigration bureaus in both nations.

AFP journalists at the airport reported that despite the scheduled Thursday departure, only one Ghanaian national appeared for boarding. Ghana's High Commission in Pretoria is processing paperwork to clear the backlog, while senior officials from Accra and Pretoria remain in constant communication to accelerate the process.

The Broader Crisis

The evacuation plan was announced earlier in May after demonstrations in cities including Johannesburg and Durban saw anti-immigrant groups stopping people outside hospitals and schools to demand identity papers. During a march in Pretoria, foreign-owned businesses were urged to close for safety. Nigeria has similarly begun registering citizens for voluntary repatriation, with 130 nationals already signed up, according to Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

Four Ethiopian nationals have also been killed in recent weeks, according to local media, underscoring the regional nature of the violence. Ghana has promised evacuees a financial reintegration package and psycho-social support upon their return.

Continental Fallout

Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has formally petitioned the African Union to place "South African xenophobic attacks targeted at Africans" on the agenda at the AU's mid-year meeting in June, arguing that recurring attacks threaten African integration and free movement ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa moved last week to reassure other African countries, saying "opportunists" had orchestrated the attacks and that "there is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence." Yet the pattern is familiar: periodic outbreaks of xenophobic violence—often fueled by frustrations over unemployment, crime, and economic hardship—have targeted foreign nationals for years, with Ghanaian traders, students, and professionals among those affected.

What This Means for Diaspora Communities

For Ghanaians living in South Africa, the delay creates uncertainty. Many registered for evacuation have already shuttered businesses or left jobs. Those who remain face a tense wait as diplomatic missions navigate rigid regulatory environments during crisis repatriations. The gap between pan-African rhetoric and the reality facing African migrants on the continent has never felt starker.

Both governments emphasized their commitment to ensuring a safe return for affected nationals, though no revised evacuation date has been announced.

Reporting drawn from Channels Television, France 24, Punch Nigeria, GBC Ghana Online, The South African.