Ghana Advises Citizens to Avoid Non-Essential Travel to South Africa Amid Xenophobic Attacks

The Government of Ghana has issued a formal travel advisory urging Ghanaian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to South Africa until further notice, citing a sharp rise in xenophobic attacks targeting African nationals in the country.

In a statement released on June 1, the government expressed grave concern over what it described as a surge in violence by groups presenting themselves as anti-immigrant vigilantes. The attacks have resulted in injuries to foreign nationals, widespread looting, destruction of property, and the forcible takeover of businesses owned by Africans from other countries on the continent.

The advisory comes amid a deteriorating security climate for Ghanaian citizens living and working in South Africa, and follows weeks of escalating tensions that have rattled diplomatic relations between the two nations and reignited broader questions about the safety of African migrants across the southern tip of the continent.

The situation echoes longstanding concerns that former South African President Thabo Mbeki recently addressed when he challenged the country’s anti-immigrant narrative, warning that hostility toward foreign nationals is built on a false premise that ignores the historical bonds of solidarity among African nations.

Diplomatic Measures Already Underway

The Mahama administration said it has taken a series of diplomatic steps in response to the crisis. These include lodging formal protests at the highest diplomatic level, summoning South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner in Accra, and petitioning the African Union over the ongoing violence.

The government has also moved to evacuate affected Ghanaian nationals. Approximately 300 Ghanaians have already been repatriated, and a further 600 who have indicated their willingness to return are currently being processed for evacuation.

“The government of the Republic of Ghana has observed with great concern the increasing xenophobic attacks in South Africa targeted at Africans by groups presenting themselves as anti-immigrant vigilantes, which have resulted in degrees of injuries, closure and takeover of businesses, looting and loss of properties,” the statement read.

A Call for Pan-African Solidarity

Accra’s response carries a distinctly Pan-Africanist tone. The government called on South African authorities to “provide adequate security for targeted groups of Africans in its territory and take measures to enforce law and order in the spirit of genuine Pan-Africanism and African integration.”

For Ghanaians already residing in South Africa, the government urged regular contact with the Ghana High Commission to ensure access to consular assistance and emergency support. The advisory stressed that the welfare of nationals abroad remains a top priority for the administration.

The developments represent the latest chapter in a recurring cycle of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa that has strained the country’s relationships with its continental neighbours. Previous waves of attacks in 2008, 2015, and 2019 drew widespread condemnation across Africa and prompted similar diplomatic interventions.

As the situation evolves, the government has signalled that it will continue to collaborate with South African authorities to ensure the safe return of any Ghanaian nationals who wish to come home, while maintaining pressure through regional and continental bodies to address the root causes of the violence.

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