Ghana puts Ramaphosa state visit on hold over attacks on its citizens in South Africa

Ghana has put plans for a state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on hold amid growing concern over the safety of Ghanaian nationals following a renewed wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Diplomatic sources in Accra and Pretoria told the Daily Graphic that the decision was taken after anti-foreigner violence in parts of South Africa forced the repatriation of about 1,000 Ghanaians. Hundreds more are reportedly awaiting evacuation.

The latest violence has renewed fears among Ghanaian communities living in South Africa, where sporadic attacks on foreign nationals have occurred over the years.

Tensions escalated further after a Ghanaian national was reportedly killed on 30 June during demonstrations by groups opposed to the presence of African migrants.

According to diplomatic sources, Ghana believes it would be difficult to proceed with a high-level state visit while concerns remain over the safety and treatment of its citizens.

A South African diplomatic source said the decision reflected Ghana's concern for the welfare and dignity of its nationals, adding that the timing of a state visit under the current circumstances would have sent the wrong signal.

"The safety of Ghanaian citizens has understandably become the overriding concern," the source said.

A Ghanaian diplomatic source also confirmed that the government had communicated its concerns to South African authorities and called for stronger measures to protect Ghanaian nationals and other foreign residents from further attacks.

The source said Ghana was seeking clear assurances that those responsible for the violence would be dealt with and that effective steps would be taken to prevent a recurrence before discussions on any future state visit resume.

Officials also considered the security implications surrounding a visit by President Ramaphosa while public anger over the attacks remained high, the source added.

The decision is not expected to affect broader relations between the two countries.

Diplomatic sources from both sides insist Ghana and South Africa remain committed to their longstanding bilateral partnership, with cooperation expected to continue in areas including trade, investment and regional diplomacy.

Neither the Ghanaian government nor South African authorities had publicly commented on the reported postponement at the time of publication.

The latest developments come as pressure grows on South African authorities to address recurring xenophobic violence, which has repeatedly strained relations with several African countries and raised concerns over the safety of migrant communities.

Read also:

Gov't declares two national clean-up days in flood-hit regions