The Government of Ghana has announced a temporary postponement of the planned evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa in response to the recent xenophobic attacks. In a statement issued on May 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the exercise, originally scheduled to commence on Thursday, May 21, has been deferred for a few days to allow officials to finalise essential logistical and legal arrangements required for the operation.
According to the Ministry, more than 800 Ghanaians residing in South Africa have registered with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, expressing their intention to return home amid heightened fears over the latest wave of violence targeting foreign nationals. The statement noted that the scale of the evacuation, combined with South African legal and aviation requirements, necessitated a brief delay to ensure all conditions are properly met before flights can begin.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to provide an update on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, which was scheduled to commence today, 21st May, 2026. The Government of Ghana notes that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered with our High Commission in Pretoria seeking to be evacuated due to the latest wave of xenophobic attacks,” the statement said. It further noted that several procedures still need to be completed before the evacuation exercise can begin smoothly.
“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 to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions.”
Source: Kabah Atawoge
