Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that 26 Ghanaian prisoners were among the first batch of 300 nationals repatriated from South Africa on Wednesday, May 27, following recent xenophobic attacks in the country.
Speaking after the evacuees arrived at the Accra International Airport, the Minister said the Ghanaian government successfully negotiated with South African authorities to ensure that the detainees were allowed to return home alongside the other evacuees.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the 26 individuals had been imprisoned for violating visa and stay permit regulations in South Africa.
“Let me welcome the 26 Ghanaians, whom we negotiated with; they were in prison, they had been detained for visa violations. We negotiated with the South African government that since we are evacuating our nationals, we don’t want anybody behind prison and the South African government agreed with us,” he stated.
The Minister also expressed appreciation to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry for cooperating with Ghana during the evacuation process.
“So I want to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa and my counterpart, the Foreign Minister of South Africa, for accepting our plea,” he added.
Government says no Ghanaian remains in South African prisons
Mr Ablakwa further revealed that the evacuation exercise had cleared all Ghanaian prisoners previously held in South Africa.
“So now, there is no Ghanaian in any South African prison; we have brought all of them back home,” he said.
The Minister explained that the repatriation forms part of broader government efforts to protect Ghanaians caught up in the recent wave of xenophobic violence and growing insecurity in parts of South Africa.
The government had earlier announced plans to evacuate Ghanaians who wished to voluntarily return home as fears mounted over the attacks targeting foreign nationals.
Support planned for returnees
Mr Ablakwa said the returnees would receive support to help them reintegrate smoothly into Ghanaian society.
Although he did not provide details of the reintegration package, the government is expected to work with relevant agencies to assist evacuees who may require accommodation, counselling, documentation support, or employment assistance after their return.
The latest evacuation has once again drawn attention to the long-standing issue of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have affected several African nationals over the years, including Ghanaians, Nigerians, Zimbabweans, and Ethiopians.
Why the South Africa evacuation matters
South Africa remains one of the leading destinations for African migrants seeking jobs and business opportunities. However, periodic outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence have continued to raise concerns across the continent.
For Ghanaian families with relatives living abroad, the latest evacuation highlights both the risks migrants sometimes face and the diplomatic role governments play in protecting citizens overseas during crises.
The development is also likely to reignite conversations around migration, undocumented stay permits, and the economic pressures often linked to xenophobic tensions in South Africa.
