Accra, GHANA – Ghanaians living in South Africa have been living with a harsh reality since April.
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A fresh wave of xenophobic hostility hit parts of the country, with African migrants facing harassment, attacks on their businesses and threats of violence.
For many Ghanaians, traders, hairdressers, mechanics and small shop owners in South Africa, it went from a place of opportunity to a place of fear.
When news of the attacks reached Accra, Ghana was not going to wait. The government took steps to protect its citizens.
First, diplomatic channels were activated and Ghana engaged both South Africa and the African Union to condemn the violence as a blow to African unity.
But speech was not enough. Many Ghanaians who had been living in South Africa came home.
The first group of Ghanaians flew in from Johannesburg and landed safely at Accra, to be welcomed by officials and family.
So far, more than 650 citizens have been repatriated, with more than 1,500 registered for repatriation and awaiting the next available flights.
A total of about 800 Ghanaians are expected to leave South Africa under the voluntary program.
Most are ordinary people who built small businesses over years, only to give them up when safety could no longer be guaranteed.
On June 1, Ghana issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to South Africa, a clear sign that the danger was real.
This is not Ghana’s story alone. Xenophobia in South Africa breaks down trust across the continent.
When one African country is unsafe for the citizens of another, it betrays the very notion of Pan-African solidarity. This year ambassadors from other African countries even boycotted the Africa Day celebrations in South Africa in protest.
For the Ghanaians now back home, the relief of being safe is mixed with the loss of livelihoods they spent years building.
But Ghana’s swift action to evacuate its citizens shows what responsibility looks like in the face of xenophobia.
Mayama Opare is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
