By Ashiadey Dotse
The Government of Ghana has turned down a planned state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa following xenophobic attacks in South Africa, resulting in the killing of a Ghanaian national.
Forty (40) year-old Bashiru Isak, is reported to have been shot and killed during xenophobic linked demonstrations, and purported immigration enforcement measures being undertaken by ordinary South Africans on June 30, 2026, which was the deadline demonstrators gave for all foreign nationals from other African countries to leave South Africa.
The move to decline honouring a visit by the South African President, reflects growing concerns over the safety of Ghanaians living in South Africa and the need for stronger action to be taken by the South African government to protect Ghanaians still in South Africa.
President Ramaphosa was expected to visit Ghana in the first week of August to strengthen relations between the two countries and discuss issues of mutual interest. However, the Ghanaian government believes the current security concerns must be addressed before the visit can take place.
The government has also lodged a formal protest with South African authorities over Mr Isak’s death and the reported attacks on Ghanaians.
According to Ghanaian officials, Mr Isak was shot and killed during what they described as anti-immigrant demonstrations in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township. However, South African authorities have rejected Ghana’s account of the incident, saying the claims are inaccurate.
They insist no deaths were recorded during the June 30 demonstrations, which drew thousands of protesters in different parts of South Africa.
South Africa’s Justice Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, said Ghana’s description of the incident was misleading and could damage the country’s image.
She said it was worrying that Ghanaian authorities continued to spread what she described as false information about South Africa and its handling of irregular migration.
“The spread of false information to promote the narrative that South Africa is xenophobic is unacceptable,” she said.
The disagreement has renewed concerns about the safety of African migrants living in South Africa, as the South African government posture does not suggest it is ready to be stern on people taking the law in their own hands, and Ghana is calling for stronger measures to protect its citizens and prevent further attacks.
Although Ghana and South Africa have long enjoyed strong diplomatic and economic relations, the latest dispute has created tension between the two countries as they work to resolve the matter.
