A second batch of Ghanaians fleeing rising anti-immigrant hostility and attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa has arrived safely at the Accra International Airport.
The arrival of the 345 evacuees on Saturday, June 6, 2026, marks a significant step in the government’s emergency response to the worsening security situation facing Ghanaians in South Africa, where renewed attacks and growing anti-immigrant sentiment have heightened fears among foreign communities.
The latest batch of evacuees adds to the growing number of Ghanaians who have been safely repatriated through a government-led evacuation exercise coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Ghana’s diplomatic mission in Pretoria.
The arrival follows the successful repatriation of an earlier group of about 300 Ghanaians who returned to Accra on May 27. The first evacuation operation was delayed by several days after its scheduled May 21 departure was disrupted by logistical and administrative challenges.
Similarly, this second rescue operation suffered delays after the sheer volume of registered returnees far exceeded the government’s initial expectations.
Foreign service officials disclosed that more than 1,500 Ghanaians have registered for emergency repatriation from South Africa. The sharp increase in requests reflects growing concerns within the Ghanaian community following reports of attacks, intimidation and damage to properties owned by foreign nationals.
For many of the returnees, the journey back to Accra marks a painful economic disruption. Several are believed to have left behind established retail businesses, formal employment, and personal property, departing with only minimal luggage as they fled the deteriorating and hostile conditions.
A significant number of the evacuees had lived in South Africa for many years, building stable livelihoods and becoming part of local communities before the recent surge in xenophobic violence disrupted their lives and forced many to leave abruptly.
The emergency evacuation is taking place against a grim backdrop of regional tension. Foreign nationals from multiple sister African countries have reportedly faced coordinated threats, harassment, and physical assaults from local vigilante groups.
The recurring outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence have drawn fierce condemnation from governments and human rights organisations across the continent, who argue that the systemic targeting of fellow Africans severely undermines the spirit of African unity, continental integration, and regional cooperation.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) were on the tarmac to receive the returnees, providing them with immediate psychological support, meals, and a transport allowance to help them reintegrate into their respective towns and villages.
The state’s emergency airlift is far from over. With hundreds of citizens still taking refuge at temporary diplomatic holding centres in Johannesburg and Pretoria, the government is racing against time to clear the backlog.
Barring any last-minute scheduling changes, a third rescue flight carrying over 300 additional passengers is expected to touch down at the airport today, Sunday, June 7, 2026.