A deeply disappointing interview, replete with misinformation. First, the claim that two Nigerians have been killed during the current wave of attacks remains entirely unsubstantiated by available information. No Nigerian National has been killed during the current waves of attacks in South Africa. Second, it is untrue that five... Mozambicans were killed. While there is an active South African Police Service investigation into the deaths of two Mozambican nationals, deaths we deeply regret, we trust that this matter will be thoroughly investigated, resulting in clear accountability and justice. We once again convey our sincere condolences to the government and people of Mozambique. We have cooperated fully with your High Commission to facilitate the necessary repatriation process. It is therefore deeply strange that we are hearing for the first time, through this interview, that 15 Ghanaians are currently hospitalised. We have no information of that nature whatsoever. In fact, to date, the High Commissioner has not shared any information with us, not even regarding the single individual he previously discussed in media interviews. Regarding what you have referred to as a “nuclear default” against South African companies: this will not be triggered by the recent attacks. The truth is, mere months into the new Ghanaian administration, the operating conditions for a number of South African companies had already been made untenable. I was compelled to write to you, my dear brother, alerting you to these challenges. Be advised: I am prepared to publish that letter if its existence is denied. Third, we reiterate the findings of our Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority concerning the 27 May flight of 300 individuals. Of these, 25 came from the our deportation facility, transported by the Immigration Inspectorate of the Department of Home Affairs. The remaining 275 were brought by the Ghanaian High Commissioner. Following an intensive check-in process, the travellers proceeded to BMA Immigration, where approximately 90% were found to be undocumented. Consequently, the Ghanaian Embassy was required to issue them Emergency Travel Certificates, single-page, one-way documents permitting a traveller to return only to their country of origin. Furthermore, most of these travellers were found to have overstayed their visas by more than 30 days, with some overstaying by a year or more. Let there be no misunderstanding: we will vigorously defend any frivolous or baseless lawsuit emanating from Ghana against South Africa. Our initial hope was simply to assist the Government of Ghana in repatriating its citizens in a humane and cordial manner. However, we will not continue to tolerate this public spectacles, characterised by incomplete information and outright misinformation devoid of any diplomatic decorum. Make no mistake: the South African government remains committed to regional integration. We are, and will remain, open to discussing the push and pull factors relating to migration at a bilateral level, the African Union or any multilateral forum but Let us be factual in our engagements and not pander to unnecessary public spacteclaces that are devoid of any diplomatic decorum. Having been on both ends of violence and hostility directed at migrants, Ghana has invaluable lessons to impart. We are ready to learn from your wealth of experience in this regard, including how Ghana has managed social tension while protecting, exclusively for Ghanaians, the very sectors in which Ghanaians in South Africa thrive. As we have stated on numerous occassions, violence directed at migrants is an affront to our constitutional order. Our democracy is founded on the principle that none shall suffer discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexuality. As we navigate this complex and fluid situation, we are determined to uphold this promise.show more

Minister: International Relations and Cooperation

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