Agya Prince, also known as Kontonkyi, a Ghanaian citizen residing in South Africa, has appealed to Ghanaians back home to desist from insulting South Africans following recent xenophobic attacks.
He stated that despite the attacks on Ghanaians and other foreign nationals, it is not every South African who is hostile towards the Ghanaian community.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he lamented that some South Africans have expressed disappointment at how Ghanaians have taken over social media and traditional media to hurl insults at them.
He noted that while Ghanaians are treated well in several provinces, the recent wave of media attacks is gradually creating safety issues for those who have chosen not to return to Ghana.
He disclosed that there are still nearly 30,000 Ghanaian nationals in South Africa with legitimate documents, businesses, and property, and that further insults will only compromise their security and safety.
He has, therefore, advised Ghanaians back home to allow government officials to continue using diplomatic measures to address the situation.
He acknowledged that the voluntary repatriations have been beneficial, especially for those who were stranded due to documentation issues and other related matters.
“We would want to appeal to our fellow Ghanaians back home to be circumspect in their commentary and how they attack the South Africans. We commend the government for the support. We also admit that it is not every single Ghanaian that can return home.
So we want to appeal to our compatriots to allow government officials to deal with the situation and stop the attacks and insults through the media. The South Africans who have been good to us are wondering why our people are insulting every South African. It is provoking them and so we appeal to the media not to allow such commentaries. We have Ghanaians in South Africa with major businesses and property and so we cannot afford to lose these things,” he added.
Meanwhile, he also claimed that any evacuees planning to lllreturn to South Africa illegally could face up to ten years in jail, without the opportunity for a standard legal defence.
He urged evacuated citizens not to return, cautioning that South African prisons are inhumane and that foreign nationals held in these facilities are treated poorly.
Reflecting on the situation on the ground, Kontonkyi noted that many undocumented Ghanaians struggle and become stranded in South Africa.
He revealed that several of the evacuees had been deceived by false promises of lucrative job opportunities, only to find themselves hopeless upon arrival, ultimately using the voluntary evacuation as a lifeline to return home.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana