Ghana has summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner to Accra in one of the strongest diplomatic protests Pretoria has faced from a fellow African government this year, after a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Ghanaian and other African migrants in South Africa.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa formally lodged the protest on Friday April 24, 2026, demanding what he called “immediate and decisive steps” to protect Ghanaian citizens. Videos circulating online in recent days show migrants being harassed, looted and ordered to leave the country.
Pretoria Responds
South African Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and Justice Minister Ronald Lamola publicly condemned the attacks on April 25, describing the looting and intimidation as “unlawful and unacceptable” and a direct threat to South Africa’s constitutional order. The South African Police Service (SAPS) pledged arrests and a nationwide crackdown.
‘Betrayal of Pan-Africanism’
Ablakwa called the violence a “betrayal of Pan-Africanism,” noting that Ghana hosted ANC leaders during the anti-apartheid struggle. Protesters gathered at the South African High Commission in Accra demanding stronger consular protection for the estimated tens of thousands of Ghanaians living in South Africa.
Restraint at Home
- Ablakwa warned Ghanaians against retaliatory attacks on South African businesses or nationals in Ghana.
- Major South African brands operating in Ghana include MTN, Stanbic, Shoprite-linked outlets and Multichoice (DStv).
- Diaspora groups have requested an emergency consular hotline.
The episode is the most serious Ghana–South Africa diplomatic friction since the 2019 Johannesburg riots — and a test of Pretoria’s commitment to the African continental project at a time when migration politics is rising across the region.
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