Viral videos have emerged on social media showing South African citizens confronting and harassing Ghanaian migrants, demanding they leave the country. The footage has sparked fresh fears of xenophobic violence across the region.
Confrontations Captured on Video
In one clip, a group of South Africans confront a Ghanaian man, questioning his legal status and ordering him to return home. A woman in the video states that the migration trend is no longer acceptable, claiming locals are tired of seeing people move across the world instead of improving their own nations. The group also accuses the migrant of illegally integrating into the community after arriving as a visitor.
Another video shows a male local challenging the validity of the Ghanaian man's documents. He forces the victim to warn others from his country to leave South Africa to avoid being targeted. Additional footage reportedly depicts the physical assault of another man, while a separate clip features a resident complaining that foreigners sleep comfortably while locals remain in the cold.
Planned Protests in Mthatha
These incidents coincide with planned demonstrations in Mthatha, Eastern Cape province, scheduled for Thursday, April 23. Residents organized the protest to address concerns regarding the presence of foreign nationals, claiming that migrants limit job opportunities for South African citizens.
Ghana Calls for Urgent Safety Measures
Samuel Ablakwa, Ghana's minister for foreign affairs, described the videos as "extremely disturbing." He spoke with his South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola, on Wednesday, April 22, to address the situation. Ablakwa confirmed that the South African government promised to investigate the matter.
"The South African Foreign Minister has expressed his empathy with the victims and promised full-scale investigations into the depressing incidents," Ablakwa said. The Ghanaian high commission has located the victim from the video to provide support, and Ablakwa stated that the man is doing well and no lives have been lost. He urged citizens to remain calm and maintain faith in the government's ability to protect them.
Concerns Among Foreign Nationals
Yirenyi Darko, chairman of the Ghanaian community in Mthatha, expressed concerns for the safety of all Africans, specifically mentioning Nigerians and Zimbabweans as potential targets for the upcoming protests. Darko noted that while the situation in the Eastern Cape is currently less extreme than in other areas, the overall atmosphere is deeply worrying.
"We are only trusting God for protection. For now, in the Eastern Cape, it is not as extreme as in other provinces, and there has not been recent harassment in Mthatha. But generally, the situation remains worrying," Darko stated. He advised members of the Ghanaian community to take precautions to stay safe.
