Renewed threats and violent attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa have compelled Ghanaian citizens residing in the country to make an urgent appeal to the Government of Ghana for immediate intervention and rescue.
Emerging details indicate that an overwhelming majority of Ghanaians remaining in South Africa—estimated at nearly 99 per cent—are now desperate to return home as the security situation rapidly deteriorates.
This alarming development follows persistent reports of fresh xenophobic threats specifically targeting Black foreign nationals across various parts of the country.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Accra-based Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, a Ghanaian resident who has consistently provided updates from South Africa, Agya Prince, popularly known as Kontonkyi, disclosed that many Ghanaians have been thrown into severe distress and are actively seeking a way back to Ghana.
According to him, the sheer volume of citizens eager to leave has reached a point where air transport alone may prove insufficient, prompting calls for maritime transport options, including ships, to facilitate a full-scale evacuation.
He further noted that affected Ghanaians feel increasingly targeted by aggressive local laws and prevailing social conditions, leaving them deeply frustrated and fearful for their safety.
Kontonkyi revealed that Ghanaians and other African nationals are enduring ongoing harassment, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation, often at the hands of South African security forces. He highlighted that a joint operation involving the Police, Immigration officers, and even Fire Service personnel is currently underway, further compounding their plight.
“As I speak with you, the majority of Ghanaians in South Africa want to return. Out of every 100 Ghanaians sampled, 99 of them want to come back to Ghana. We are being harassed, intimidated, and assaulted. When you step out to buy food or carry out daily activities, the police, immigration, and other security officers will harass you and demand documents. Should the government bring airplanes to airlift us, it will not be enough. We need ships to bring us back home. The situation is now unbearable, and we are no longer interested in staying in South Africa. Fire service personnel can now arrest you. They have intensified their laws, and so it is no longer safe for us.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana High Commission in South Africa has issued an advisory urging all Ghanaian citizens in the country to remain indoors and keep their businesses temporarily closed amid the rising wave of anti-immigrant protests and xenophobic violence.
In response to the crisis, the Ghanaian government has initiated voluntary evacuation flights to assist distressed citizens, though community members maintain that additional sea transport will be necessary to accommodate everyone seeking refuge back home.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
