At least 800 Ghanaians have registered to be evacuated from South Africa following escalating anti-immigrant protests in parts of the country, according to Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement issued on Thursday, May 21, the ministry announced that the planned evacuation, originally scheduled for the same day, had been postponed due to the large number of citizens seeking to return home.
The ministry explained that the delay was necessary to comply with South African legal requirements, including mandatory passenger screening, flight permit approvals and coordination among multiple institutions involved in the operation.
“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination, and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days”, the statement said.
The Government assured Ghanaians living in South Africa that efforts were underway to ensure their safe and orderly return.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the safety of foreign Nationals as anti-immigrant demonstrations continue in some South African cities. Ghanaian authorities said they are closely monitoring the situation, and remain committed to protecting the welfare of their citizens abroad.