By Ashiadey Dotse
President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to support South Africa in addressing unemployment and the growing problem of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.
Speaking at Chatham House in the United Kingdom on Monday, June 1, 2026, Mr. Mahama said African leaders must help South Africa identify and address the root causes of anti-foreigner sentiments, particularly high unemployment among the country’s black population.
“We must sympathize with South Africa, and we must help South Africa to be able to drill down and find out what it can do to reduce the unemployment rates amongst the black population and also change the mindset that people who have come to your country are taking your jobs,” he said.
The President stressed that Ghana’s diplomatic relations with South Africa remain strong despite recent attacks on foreign nationals, including some Ghanaians.
According to him, recent incidents in South Africa saw foreign nationals targeted by mobs, with some shops owned by foreign nationals forcibly closed. He noted that many Ghanaians, alongside other Africans from countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, were affected by the violence.
He said the situation became so serious that some foreigners were afraid to leave their homes for fear of being attacked. He added that some hospitals reportedly turned away non-South Africans, creating what he described as a “toxic atmosphere.”
As a result, many Ghanaians sought refuge at Ghana’s embassy in South Africa. At one point, nearly 200 Ghanaian citizens were being sheltered at the embassy after being displaced from areas including Durban.
“It didn’t look like the South African authorities were doing anything to quell what was happening and also to provide protection to those who had been displaced. So, we had no option but to evacuate our citizens,” he said.
Mr. Mahama revealed that Ghana had already carried out one evacuation flight and planned two additional flights for citizens who wished to return home. He explained that the evacuation process was voluntary and based on the wishes of affected Ghanaians.
The President described the situation as unfortunate and argued that simply blaming foreigners would not solve South Africa’s unemployment challenges.
“After the last fellow African leaves, is it going to change unemployment among blacks in South Africa? After the last shop has been closed and everybody has left, is it going to change unemployment?” he asked.
He urged the South African government to address the underlying factors driving unemployment and anti-foreigner attitudes.
Mr. Mahama also emphasized the economic benefits of migration, noting that countries around the world benefit from the skills, expertise, and investments brought by foreign nationals.
He cited the contributions of Ghanaian healthcare workers in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) and the role of other African nationals living and working in Ghana.
