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A Ghanaian pastor who lived in South Africa for 12 years has supported South Africans in the fight against illegal immigration.
second group of more than 600 Ghanaian citizens were brought back from South Africa on two chartered flights arranged by his government over the weekend. This follows the repatriation of the first group of 300 Ghanaians in late May, following a surge in anti-immigrant attacks in South Africa.
The development comes amid rising tensions over undocumented foreigners in South Africa, where anti-immigrant groups have staged nationwide protests demanding immediate deportation.
While the Ghanaian government has condemned the protests, the pastor, who arrived in Accra with another group over the weekend, expressed solidarity with the grievances of South Africans.
“I personally share the grievances of the South African people,” he said in an interview with Channel One TV.
He argued that South African citizens have every right to defend their country, claiming that some foreigners contribute significantly to crime.
“They are right in the sense that I, being a Ghanaian, will not allow any foreigner to enter my country, take our women and turn them into sex tools. I will not allow foreigners to come here to sell drugs to our young boys and destroy their lives. I will not condone this,” he said.
“I will not allow any foreigner to come to our country, illegally add electricity and water connections without paying, hijack buildings that do not belong to them, and then refuse entry even to the police.”
The pastor further alleged that some unknown individuals in South Africa commit serious crimes, including murder, knowing that they cannot be easily detected by law enforcement. He stressed that these are issues that are fueling local frustration.
He said, “These are legitimate concerns that they have raised. As a minister of God, I will not sit down and dismiss them just because they are against foreign nationals.”
However, while he validated citizens' concerns, he warned that their current approach is flawed.
“This approach is wrong because, no matter what, the government should step in and handle it properly. Right now, protesters are attacking both legal and illegal residents. It is this wrong approach that is why the situation has become so serious and why so many people are complaining.”
Anti-immigrant groups in South Africa continue to call for the removal of undocumented foreigners and stricter border controls to protect local jobs, reduce crime rates and ease pressure on public services.
The movement has issued an ultimatum ordering undocumented foreigners to leave the country by June 30 and warning of a possible national shutdown if the government fails to act.
“No one should support a foreigner going to someone else's country and behaving like that,” the pastor concluded.
Times Live