“Never Again” 800 Ghanaians Set to Leave South Africa After Safety Fears

Añadido: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Hundreds of Ghanaians are now preparing to leave South Africa, claiming they no longer feel safe amid rising tensions and alleged harassment. One man says he can never return after coming here in search of a better life. If you want real updates on stories shaping South Africa, like, subscribe, and stay tuned as we dive into the main story.

[00:00:27]I'm legal. So if I'm just going out there to look for food and people just approach me and they they want to question me whereas they are not the immigration, they are not the police, then I I don't have confidence in the in the safety of my environment because if random people can walk up to me and then question my legality and why I'm going here or there, then it poses a problem. So, I'm not at peace and I think going back home is the is the most prudent decision I I I am making now. And that's not the first time. There was another time closer to the Jabulani mall. Um this incident was was really pitiful because the way these guys approached me in mass in group it's it's really uncalled for because at least if if I'm illegal then let the proper uh institutions handle me. At least the police, the immigration, home affairs, let them do their job. But if you attack me based on the fact that you can see that I can't speak your local language, then it's it's a problem.

[00:01:38]>> Your local language, unfortunately, I do not understand. They kicked me into the rain. Oh >> yeah, they kicked me into the rain. And it was after that day that I ran to the embassy. I said, "No, I want to go home." They kicked me in the rain. I'm here looking for an opportunity to better my life in the sports department.

[00:01:56]I can show you on my phone. I've made contact with former Bafana Bafana players trying to help me because yes, I have the talent. But if I'm here and my safety is under siege, then it's it brings to the question, why would you risk your life just to have a a better living? So, I better go home and then restrategize and see the way forward because the world is big. If you are somewhere and people do not really like you, then you have to go back to your motherland and find a way find a way to make it.

[00:02:27]What what are your plan? What do you plan to do when you get married? Have you thought about that?

[00:02:32]>> Of course, Ghana is the is the is the enclave of talent. When I go back to Ghana, I would see I'll see my my way next. I'll find my way to a country that is going to give me the proper structure, the proper platform to express myself and then bring my talent to bear because arrangements.

[00:02:57]>> Yeah. Um the other thing too is that apart from my my personal thought of um making plans for myself, the government of Ghana has also put plans in place to reintegrate us into the society. They are trying to make sure that we are not coming back and coming to struggle.

[00:03:15]um they are trying to put uh allowances in place so that even within the period with which we are going to to stay and say okay so if I came to South Africa to do XY Z and and I'm in danger then okay these are the amount of money or this is the the package for you for you to feel comfortable until you are on your feet or government is going they have a special package for us a database where they are going to employ us. So for me it's better I go home and then uh listen to the foreign affairs minister and then look at the package and see where it benefits me rather than putting my life in danger in a foreign land.

[00:04:00]>> The xenophobic attack it comes often. I want to live not basically because of the xenophobic attack. By God's grace and mercy, I experienced the one of 2015. I experienced the one of 2019 and then various matches and other things against uh foreign nationals. But I am not leaving particularly because of that because I felt there is nothing for me again in this country. Getting papers in South Africa is like hitting a rock.

[00:04:34]We have tried but we couldn't succeed.

[00:04:37]So I am not legal. That is the main reason why I'm going because I believe that a time will come that the system with the trend or the way things are going the system will choke illegal foreigners. So I felt it's an opportunity for me to go. I'm here today because I want to go home. They say we must go and face our country. So I'm going to face our country.

[00:05:06]I'm going to help so that our country will fix. I don't know why they say we should go because we were here. I'm here long time. I'm a plumber and at times I do employ even South Africans. I work with them. I pay them everything that I'm supposed to do. But I saw on the media the way people are bullying people.

[00:05:33]I said no. I got a children so I might stay here and lose my life.

[00:05:40]So I don't want to lose my life. I said no let me go back home so that I can die on my motherland.

[00:05:47]>> And even they've given us a deadline of 30th June.

[00:05:52]And although our officials are also working on it but I prefer some of us prefer going to prevail peace. Oh my message to South Africans is that uh although some of you you see not all of you are bad some of you but the majority have let me particular I'm departing you get me some of you so not all of you so all what I can say is that I really also thank my ministers and my president as well you get me for them thinking good of us planning for us to live in peace, not in pieces. It's not only me to live in South Africa. You guys know what is going on and xenophobia attacks and what what blah blah. Many people are many people in South Africa are saying we are getting their jobs from them. So and you know we are an African people. We are black people. We live in this continent.

[00:06:52]So if my fellow black saying I'm getting his job or I'm doing bad things to him, I really feel sad to hear about that. So we Ghanaians we doesn't want trouble. So we decided to go back home. And the other time many people living here in South Africa as a Ghanaian they are suffering from how to pay their rent, how to eat, how to take care of their child because of this xenophobia attacks. Many people went to the schools or hospital. They sent them back to their home because of they are a foreigners.

[00:07:27]So they decided to go back home because they can't stay here and face this situation. They have to go back home. Uh because if you went back home, you know home is your country. You can decided what you want to go either want to go to hospital want to go to anywhere is your >> that are voluntarily going to be repatriated to Ghana. Um the department of home affairs border management authority have decided that they will come to the high commission so that we bring those numbers in for for them to be screened. Um I believe that this is a very important stage and this is a very important part of the process where your host our host authorities which is South African authorities are able to determine whether we have any people who have gone against the law and then they are leaving the country once we are done with the screening processes which is what they are here to do. We are ready to leave on Wednesday. know that you might have heard some of the demonstrations um your president um your top government official your police commissioner have condemned these acts.

[00:08:26]These are acts that keeps our people intimidated. It makes our people not to be able to go to work, not to be able to take their kids to school. I'm not saying that we are, you know, pushing aside the whole issue of illegal immigration, but I believe that there's a way that we could um handle this without what is going on, without people taking the laws into their own hands. So Ghanaian safety is a paramount concern of the president and of the finance minister in Ghana. This is why we are here. We want them to go home because like you said, we should all fix our economies. So I believe that we are all fixing the economies that we have. But let's do it in a more civil and decorous manner. Well, if you have a mayor in export deciding that you should leave the country, he gives you a 30 days automatum, takes the keys to your offices, he tells you that he has taken it from you, he's given it to the locals, then you should understand that we're not safe in this country. Then you should understand that an individual cannot just take such a unilateral decision that borders on the welfare of another um country's citizens who are in this country. Most of them are very legal in the country, but he has decided to take the law into his own. I think that these are some of the acts that makes it feel that our people are not safe. Um the flight that we are talking about is a flight that takes 300 passengers including cabin crew and and the pilots. Um so we are very certain that the first group of 300 people are ready to leave on on Wednesday early in the morning. So that aspect we've taken care of effectively today expected to start from Wednesday. But I want to bring in a gentleman here who is one of those that says he wants uh to be repatriated back home. Frederick, thank you very much for speaking to us. Uh perhaps just give us a sense of you know why you've elected, why you've volunteered uh to be one of those that go back home uh and uh why you here to be screened effectively today. Um actually you see there is no place like home.

[00:10:20]Uh we came to this country um with the intention of greener pastures but then we realized that there is nothing much here for us coupled with rampant or constant xenophobic attack and other things that comes along staying here. I felt it is better for me to go home.

[00:10:46]So have you faced any danger uh personally and you know what you make of the situation and you know the protests that are happening here in the country.

[00:10:54]Actually right now I am not in danger. But you see life in Johannesburg is uh is a risk because even if you are not in danger from xenophobic attack or the riot there are a lot of things like people can come into your house and point a gun at you and rob you. Even in the street you are not safe. So you personally haven't faced any danger but you just fear for your safety.

[00:11:24]Personally I have not really faced any danger but you see uh there is a saying or there is a proverb that if you see someone's cheeks ving you have to protect yours. So I know that as it is going on around uh I'm not safe. Do you think it's xenophobia though or do you think it's just you know South Africans that are not happy with the current situation in the country? Um actually I won't particularly say that is xenophobia is I think is a system that has failed. I think the system has failed because they are angry because of um the failed system.

[00:12:08]Yes. Planning to come back to the country. Are you planning to come back to the country if the situation? Never.

[00:12:14]I can never come back to >> last year because I wanted to go back. I need to go back home.

[00:12:28]>> You don't want to stay here. I'm sick and tired of this country. I should have been fed. Look at how I am. I have been working as a teacher in this country.

[00:12:38]Not that Ghanaians are illegal but the home affairs forced most of them to be illegal because they some of them have permanent status which has been revoked. I have them here. Some have business permit.

[00:12:57]They came with business permit. They renewed here three times. At the end the other renewers they said fraudulent.

[00:13:06]There are some Ghanaians.

[00:13:08]There was a Ghanaian lady that was knocked down by a car. I took it upon myself to claim the we have become something rough accident road accident fun.

[00:13:22]I I push it to the end. I took a lawyer by myself.

[00:13:28]At the end of the payment, they said they have declined it. Some of us outside Pritoria can't even travel by bus or their taxes even for them to come and register their names because they are scared because the moment they started sty then they have to divert the taxi somewhere. So how about them? What are the safety measures towards them if necessary?

[00:14:06]intimidation.

[00:14:14]I discuss airport.

[00:14:49]Airport airport.

[00:15:19]So what we are seeing or witnessing is not something that is going to end today. Most of them have put these guys who are um doing these demonstrations on a payroll, a strong one. So it's not something that's going to end today. I'm looking at a a worst scenario as a business owner is in discussing with the with the min the South African counterparts if they can actually have um a takeover plan of Ghanaian businesses because at the DTI they've got a a takeover um regulatory panel where they will be able to give us office so that they can take over those businesses to their local South Africans >> so that we can leave peacefully because at times it's also so difficult having stayed for years running businesses and we just have to leave and many of our staff are also leaving and at the end of the day how are we going to pay the rents I personally I'm even ready to go back to Ghana but because of certain situation because my children are here there's no way I can also leave them behind refugee Fore speech.

[00:17:06]I think the first time we met at the airport, I think I've already discussed to everyone on this social media. Yeah.

[00:17:14]So I just think that we came here to see what is going on on our government uh situation and that stuff that is why you guys are here.

[00:17:24]>> Yeah.

[00:17:25]>> Yeah. Sylvia, I want you to tell me what you personally have been promised by the government. Um and just what are you hoping to see when you get home?

[00:17:35]Oh, the government promise us to take care of us and after we getting home, he'll make sure that we get a financial package and opportunities and jobs.

[00:17:48]Yeah. For all Ghanaians and me too also.

[00:17:51]So, I'm very proud of the government.

[00:17:53]Yeah, I'm really happy.

[00:17:55]>> And and it's a different side. So, remember we saw you at the airport and you were the only one that was there since that time when we were able to communicate with you. Um, what has been the communication? How did you even end up here?

[00:18:08]>> Uh, I think the time we met the the airport because of the social media viral trending. So, my elders saw it and they they interviewed me. So, I just spoke to what I feel about the time we met at the airport. So, they just took up for me to decided to help me with my situation. Yeah.

[00:18:30]>> And what are you looking forward to when you get home? Uh what I'm looking for now is to get a job and feel like I'm at home. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:41]>> And and and what have you provided the officials with today?

[00:18:45]>> Uh come again. Sorry.

[00:18:47]>> Today what have you provided the officials here with?

[00:18:51]>> Uh today I came here because of uh I think we heard about the government was saying we must meet today.

[00:19:00]>> Yeah. Thank you very much for speaking to us Sylvester. I think you've been in the country for 21 years. Can you explain to the viewers how did you enter the country?

[00:19:11]>> I entered this country with a visa >> and what was what visa was that?

[00:19:18]>> It was a visit visa.

[00:19:21]>> And this was 21 years ago. And after you've arrived after the visitor's visa, what happened after that?

[00:19:28]>> I went for an asylum.

[00:19:30]I went to seek an asylum.

[00:19:35]Can >> Can you explain to us why you felt your life was in danger and that you needed an asylum?

[00:19:43]>> Yeah, I decided not to go because I was having a issue problem with my family and I said no, let me try and get to some country. I tried a lot of countries in South Africa that they gave me a visa and I came here when I came here and the visa got expired and I said is I have to go and seek asylum because if I go back something will happen to me and I went and gave them my story if my I narate all everything and they gave me asalam paper. There are those who are fleeing uh conflict uh not just family conflict but conflict such as wars and so on.

[00:20:29]What would you say if someone were to say that perhaps there was an element of abusing the South African immigration systems? What would your thoughts be in that regard?

[00:20:41]>> You see, I don't know. I don't I don't know how to explain it.

[00:20:49]I'm not abusing South African immigration law but what I will say is they helped me when I came here I presented my case to them like what I said and they offer me the asylum paper so I was using asalam paper to go everywhere that I was going the neighboring country like Togo Ba But I decided that I have to come to South Africa.

[00:21:24]>> You decided that you need to come to South Africa and why did you choose South Africa?

[00:21:29]>> Because this country I I heard and saw that there's opportunity a lot of opportunities here.

[00:21:34]>> That's why I came here.

[00:21:36]>> And what have you been doing right now to sustain yourself?

[00:21:39]>> I'm a qualified plumber. So I'm working for myself. Even at times I employ South Africans people to work with them.

[00:21:49]>> And is your business registered with um with the the the the South African authorities? Are you contributing to to tax in any way?

[00:21:58]>> Yeah, my business is registered.

[00:22:00]>> Are you contributing to tax?

[00:22:02]>> Yeah, not prominent.

[00:22:05]>> And what visa are you using? Are you on a do you have a b business visa now?

[00:22:10]>> The asylum.

[00:22:12]So, you're using the asylum to to run a business.

[00:22:15]>> Yeah.

[00:22:18]>> And right now you've decided that you want to go back home. Why is that? If there are so many opportunities in this, you're running this lucrative business.

[00:22:25]>> I decided to go because they say we must go to our country and fix our country.

[00:22:30]So, I'm going to help people to fix the country. We're going fix our country.

[00:22:36]Would you perhaps say that you know you you you perhaps don't qualify for asylum given that you're not running away from war but you are running away from a family matter.

[00:22:47]>> Yeah. Asylum doesn't is not meant only for war. If you think okay you have a problem like the what I'm telling you you can kick off from your country and go to where you want to go.

[00:23:02]>> Thank you Nana.

[00:23:04]Dozens of Ganaian nationals gathered outside the Ghana High Commission in Ptoria on Sunday ahead of a planned repatriation process expected to begin this week. The group arrived in taxes as officials prepared for Monday's security screening linked to the voluntary return program.

[00:23:21]According to information provided, approximately 800 Ghanaian nationals have indicated that they are willing to return to Ghana amid growing tensions involving immigrants in parts of South Africa. The first group is expected to depart on Wednesday.

[00:23:37]Several individuals described difficult living conditions and raised concerns about safety and treatment in their communities. Some claimed they were unable to use public transport without facing harassment or being called derogatory names. including the term quericqu which has often been described as offensive toward foreign nationals in South Africa.

[00:23:58]One individual expected to be repatriated said he no longer feels safe in South Africa and does not intend to return. According to his statement, he originally traveled to the country seeking better opportunities and a more stable life.

[00:24:13]The repatriation initiative comes amid ongoing debates around immigration, unemployment, crime, and community tensions in South Africa. Authorities at the Ghana High Commission are reportedly processing applicants as quickly as possible, while security measures remain in place during the screening exercise.

[00:24:33]The developments have once again drawn attention to concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals living in South Africa. Over the years, incidents involving violence, intimidation, and tensions between locals and migrants have periodically made headlines, prompting responses from community leaders, governments, and civil society organizations.

[00:24:54]At this stage, there has been no indication that the repatriation process is compulsory, and those returning are understood to have volunteered for the program. Officials are expected to continue processing additional applicants in the coming days.

[00:25:09]The situation has also sparked wider discussions online with some calling for stronger protection for all residents regardless of nationality while others argue that long-standing socioeconomic challenges continue to fuel frustration within communities.

[00:25:25]South African authorities have repeatedly stated that criminal behavior and acts of intimidation against any group are unlawful and should be reported to law enforcement agencies.

[00:25:37]As the first group prepares to leave on Wednesday, attention now turns to how both South African and Ghanian authorities will manage the process and respond to the concerns raised by those choosing to return home. This report is intended to inform the public on developments surrounding the voluntary repatriation process and the concerns raised by those involved. Viewers are encouraged to engage respectfully and avoid hate speech or attacks against any nationality or