PREVIEW
A wave of anti-migrant violence has prompted Ghana, Nigeria and others to repatriate citizens and reassess engagement with Pretoria
South Africa is reaping the diplomatic damage caused by the anti-migrant protests that have swept the country in recent weeks after Ghana postponed a planned state visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The visit, which had been scheduled for August, has been indefinitely postponed amid concerns of mass protests against Ramaphosa’s arrival.
More than 900 Ghanaians have been repatriated from South Africa, with a similar number expected to be brought home in the coming weeks, since the anti-immigrant March and March group ramped up its campaign of intimidation against African migrants.
Officials in Pretoria have played down the violence against other Africans. Ghana condemned the killing of one of its nationals in Cape Town during the protests on 30 June, the date which March and March had set as the deadline for all undocumented migrants to leave South Africa (AC Vol 67 No 13, Ronald Lamola – trying to win back friends & Vol 67 No 14, Protests reveal a deeper crisis). But South African officials denied that anyone had been killed. Justice Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi accused officials in Accra of spreading ‘false information about South Africa regarding developments on irregular migration’.
The Ramaphosa government has repeatedly defended the rights of protestors provided that the demonstrations are peaceful, others could follow (AC Vol 67 No 12, Not yet ubuntu). Ethiopia, Nigeria, Malawi and Kenya have already chartered dozens of flights to return thousands of their citizens home.
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