Ghana postpones evacuation of 800 citizens from South Africa

Ghana announced on Thursday that it had postponed the evacuation of more than 800 of its citizens from South Africa. The decision followed the circulation of a viral video that showed the alleged assault of a Ghanaian man, which sparked widespread outrage.

The footage, which depicts the attack on Emmanuel Asamoah—a Ghanaian resident of South Africa—was widely shared on social media amid a recent surge of xenophobic violence against foreign nationals in the country.

Earlier this month, the Ghanaian foreign ministry confirmed that it was arranging an evacuation for its citizens in South Africa.

Initially, the evacuation was scheduled to begin on Thursday, but the ministry said it had been delayed due to the large number of evacuees and the legal clearance procedures required by South Africa.

“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi‑institutional coordination and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days,” the ministry stated.

It added that Ghanaian and South African authorities had agreed to accelerate the process.

Only one Ghanaian arrived at South Africa’s O.R. Tambo International Airport on Thursday, according to AFP journalists on the ground.

The Ghanaian government has pledged a reintegration financial package and psychosocial support for those being evacuated.

The recent tensions have reignited discussions across Africa about xenophobia, migration, and the disconnect between pan‑African rhetoric and the realities faced by African migrants on the continent.

Ghana has been urging broader continental attention to the issue, raising concerns about xenophobic violence in African Union meetings and arguing that repeated attacks threaten African integration and the free‑movement goals of initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Asamoah, the man in the viral video, has since returned safely to Ghana.