South Africa protests: Ghana begins process to deport over 200 citizens as some locals seize keys from foreign shop owners

The demand states that South African authorities should compromise with the citizens of Odia Kontris before they begin attacking South Africans for Odia Kontris.

South African authorities currently deny allegations of xenophobic attacks.

High Commission officials visit some communities and cities to meet the Ghanaian people to understand what they are going through and provide assistance.

Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, says he will work with the Network of African Ambassadors to take legal action against local authorities in Estcourt and seize the keys to the area from foreign business owners.

“The mayor of Estcourt confiscated the keys of all foreign business owners for the benefit they gave to locals.”

According to Oga Kweshi, the mayor takes the keys with him and asks the locals to build shops and operate businesses.

“The mayor has given foreigners 21 days to move out of the house and come into the area, which we think the mayor is doing illegally. I have been collecting keys from pipes that operate mechanic shops and ODA businesses, although locals say they are not fit to run businesses,” the High Commissioner told local network Joynews.

I would also like to say to the Nigerian High Commissioner and the Angolan Ambassador that I am receiving reports from Nigerians about the Estcourt area where they have seized the commercial keys there.

“We found about 25 Ghanaians who are affected by this area through their nearby businesses. We are going to challenge the mayor with the law, I am not qualified to do that.”

“We condemn the mayor's actions, we will ensure that the foreigners get the keys back. We will take the statement of the affected Pipo to the legal department of the Group of African Ambassadors, where he will soon go to court,” the High Commissioner said.

Ghanaian authorities say that while they may discuss the issue with the South African Foreign Ministry if unrest continues, they have no means of controlling the anger of the country's citizens.

Ghanaian authorities say that on Monday 11 May 2026, OVA 200 Pipo did not sign up with the High Commission and said they wanted to return to Ghana.

“Any Ghanaian who feels his or her life is in danger in South Africa can contact the High Commission through contact numbers and emails.”

Benjamin Kwashi further said, “The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has not asked us to collect the names of Ghanaians who want to come home, I ask that we begin processing them immediately.”

“For citizens who have not received passports, we will have to collect travel certificates from them, the ministry will have to cover the distance to ensure that we bring them back home. We do not want to leave any Ghanaian at the mercy of South Africans.”

Statistics show that about 20,000 Ghanaians in South Africa do various professions, some teach, some work in the medical sector, mining industry, ODA small businesses.

But along the way they leave, most of them say they no longer feel safe.

Ghana's High Commissioner says that after repatriating the citizens, they will also figure out how to integrate them into society and find jobs for them so they can support the poor and poor families.

“Some business leaders heading to Ghana have contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wanting to support their citizens with jobs when they return to the country.”

When they came to the deadline to evacuate the citizens to Ghana, the High Commissioner said he had not received any deadline yet.

“We don't get any timeline, as soon as we get the number of Pipo, the Ministry facilitates Dia repatriation, we provide flights and let them come to Ghana,” I am speaking inside the interview with JoyNews.

Officials say if a person does not feel safe traveling to South Africa they can contact the High Commission to register for repatriation.

For the 'March on March' group and ODA anti-illegal immigration protesters, they will continue to protest until the end of the year unless the South African government compromises with illegal and undocumented immigrants and creates jobs for locals.

Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that he will not tolerate violent protests targeting foreigners in parts of the country.

In an open letter the President said he did not attack any policy of the government.

“These attacks are the actions of opportunists who take advantage of the desperation of poor communities,” I say.

President Ramaphosa says that some Pipo take the law into their own hands while doing the work of state and security officials – stopping Pipo and searching Pipo's personal property and demanding ID and ODA documents obtained from them.

“We will not tolerate this lawlessness, we do not care who they are and who the victims are.”

South Africa's president says the country faces a problem of illegal immigration as “uncontrolled migration puts pressure on top health care, housing and ODA services for poor communities.”

I also blame employers who underpay and exploit foreigners, instead saying they pay regular wages to locals.

Cyril Ramaphosa says Contras officers are working to tackle border controls and they are also attacking employers who exploit foreigners with cheap labour.

Meanwhile, Ghana has already petitioned the African Union to consider the issue of xenophobia for South Africa at its mid-year coordination meeting scheduled for Egypt in June.

Ghana wants the AU deal to go well with Mata so that they can deliver what they describe as a “permanent solution” to the problem and this could trigger retaliation attacks on the South Africans.