A second batch of 345 Ghanaian nationals evacuated from South Africa touched down safely at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Saturday, following escalating xenophobic attacks and rising anti-immigrant sentiment across several South African provinces.
The returnees form part of an emergency repatriation exercise coordinated by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country’s diplomatic mission in Pretoria. Their arrival comes just ten days after the first group of approximately 300 evacuees returned on May 27 — a flight that had initially been scheduled for May 21 but faced logistical delays.
According to officials, more than 1,500 Ghanaians ultimately registered for repatriation, far exceeding initial projections and underscoring deep anxiety within the Ghanaian community in South Africa. Many returnees reported incidents of attacks, intimidation, and property destruction.
Several evacuees told journalists at the airport that they had abandoned businesses, jobs, and personal belongings to escape a rapidly deteriorating security environment. Some had lived and worked in South Africa for years, building livelihoods that were upended by the recent wave of xenophobic violence.
The attacks, which have specifically targeted foreign nationals from multiple African countries, have drawn widespread condemnation from continental governments and human rights groups, who argue such actions undermine African unity and regional cooperation.
A third flight carrying more than 300 passengers is expected to arrive on Sunday, June 7, as the government continues its evacuation efforts.
