Ghana has postponed by a few days the evacuation of more than 800 nationals from South Africa after a viral video showing the alleged assault of Emmanuel Asamoah provoked public outrage. The foreign ministry cited large numbers and South African legal clearance requirements, including mandatory passenger screenings and flight permits. Ghana and South Africa say they will expedite arrangements; Accra has urged the African Union to address recurring xenophobic attacks, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly condemned.
Ghana Delays Evacuation of 800+ Citizens From South Africa After Viral Assault Video
Ghanian national Silvester Boakye at O.R. Tambo international airpor after Ghana delayed the evacuation of more than 800 of its citizens from South Africa (EMMANUEL CROSET)(EMMANUEL CROSET/AFP/AFP)
Ghana on Thursday announced a short postponement of a planned evacuation of more than 800 of its nationals from South Africa after a viral video showing the alleged assault of a Ghanaian man sparked outrage.
The footage, which appears to show an attack on Emmanuel Asamoah, circulated widely on social media amid a renewed wave of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. Asamoah has since returned safely to Ghana.
The Ghanaian foreign ministry said earlier this month that it was organising evacuations in response to the unrest and that flights for roughly 800 people were due to begin on Thursday. The ministry explained the operation was deferred by a few days because of the large number of evacuees and required legal clearances from South African authorities.
"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 said.
Ghanaian and South African officials have agreed to accelerate the process, the ministry added. AFP journalists at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport reported that only one Ghanaian arrived at the airport on Thursday.
The Ghanaian government has pledged a reintegration financial package and psycho-social support for those it repatriates. Accra has also pushed the issue at the continental level, urging the African Union to place recurring xenophobic attacks on its agenda and warning that such violence threatens African integration and free-movement ambitions under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sought to reassure other African nations, saying last week that "opportunists" had orchestrated anti-immigrant attacks and that "there is no place in South Africa for xenophobia, ethnic mobilisation, intolerance or violence." Ghana's foreign minister has formally requested that the AU address the recent attacks at its upcoming mid-year meeting.
The situation remains fluid as both governments work to finalise flights and clearances while monitoring community tensions and the safety of foreign residents in affected areas.
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