The South African Government has warned the Government of Ghana that it would not condone any public theatrics in the evacuation of its citizens amid the anti-immigrant tensions in the country.
The comments follow the evacuation of hundreds of Ghanaians from South Africa following xenophobic attacks on them and other Africans.
According to Vanguardngr.com, Ghana’s embassy in South Africa published a video of evacuees waving Ghanaian flags on the aircraft to mark the departure of the latest repatriation flight.
The gesture has resulted in a reaction from the South African Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“Our initial hope was simply to assist the Government of Ghana in repatriating its citizens in a humane and cordial manner,” South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola wrote on X in response to a video of comments by his Ghanaian counterpart, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“However, we will not continue to tolerate… public spectacles, characterised by incomplete information and outright misinformation devoid of any diplomatic decorum,” Lamola’s post continued.
Ghana has begun evacuating its citizens from South Africa due to escalating xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants in the country.
The Government earlier evacuated around 300 citizens, and has welcomed a second batch of 345 evacuees who successfully escaped a terrifying wave of anti-immigrant street riots, looting, and physical assaults across major South African metropolitan areas.
The evacuees are receiving support, including transportation assistance, reintegration allowances, and psychological support.
The move follows protests in South Africa against undocumented migrants, with some groups claiming they are straining public services and job opportunities.
A viral video showing the assault of a Ghanaian man triggered outrage as it circulated widely on social media.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Government has petitioned the African Union to address the issue, citing violations of human rights and African solidarity. Ghana joins other African countries, including Nigeria and Malawi, in evacuating citizens from South Africa amid the rising tensions.
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