Ghana has formally summoned South Africa's acting high commissioner to protest recent acts of intimidation and harassment targeting Ghanaian citizens and other African migrants in South Africa.
The diplomatic move follows the circulation of online videos showing vigilante groups confronting individuals they suspect of being in the country illegally. In one clip, a group challenges a Ghanaian man, demanding to see his documents and questioning their authenticity before telling him to "fix your country."
Ghana's foreign affairs ministry confirmed the man is residing in South Africa legally. The ministry condemned the incidents, stating that such conduct "undermines the dignity and rights of law-abiding citizens."
Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, met with the man featured in the video to offer support and urged Ghanaian migrants to continue being "law-abiding" and respect local rules.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa discussed the matter with his South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola, who pledged a full investigation and expressed sympathy for the victims. South Africa's acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia also condemned the vigilantism, emphasizing that no group has the authority to take the law into their own hands.
Xenophobia has been a persistent issue in South Africa, occasionally flaring into deadly violence. The country hosts approximately 2.4 million documented migrants, about 4% of its population, though the actual number is likely higher. Most migrants come from neighboring nations like Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, with a smaller number from Nigeria.