Benjamin Kofi Quashie, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, has dismissed viral claims that some Ghanaians have died from the ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Mr. Quashie says the demonstrations and ongoing attacks have had no Ghanaian losing his or her life, urging the public to disregard such claims.
“So the current xenophobic actions that are going on, nobody has lost their lives,” he said on JoyNews Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
The rumours follow ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa where some Africans, including Ghanaians, have been victims, with some citizens demonstrating to the government over immigration issues.
Following the development, rumours were rife that some Ghanaians and other Africans were killed during the demonstration in parts of South Africa.
But according to him, official data available to the mission contradicts those claims. “The statistics are there; they’ve given it to us,” he noted.
Mr. Quashie clarified a specific viral case involving a Ghanaian man reportedly killed in East London, clarifying the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“In fact, there was a story going round about a Ghanaian who had lost his life in East London… We went there yesterday on the instructions of the Foreign Affairs Minister,” he explained.
He explained that the demise of the person had no correlation with the ongoing xenophobic attacks. “We got to find out that the gentleman was stabbed to death by armed robbers, and it happened three weeks ago,” he said.
“They just left his body there, and we only got to know after three weeks that the citizen had been stabbed to death,” he added.
He indicated that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has officially tasked him to open an investigation into the issue. “The Foreign Affairs Minister has officially asked them to open an investigation,” he noted.
Quashie added that “they wanted to mass-bury the gentleman, but the Minister again gave instructions that the gentleman should not be buried until a full investigation is completed.”
He stressed that authorities are seeking clarity and justice. “Until we know who killed him, why he was killed, and compensation given to his family,” he stated.
Mr Quarshie confirmed that the victim’s family in Ghana has been identified and contacted. “We’ve spoken to them. It has been a difficult one for them, because this is the breadwinner in the family,” he said.
