South African anti-immigrant unrest forces Nigerian and Ghanaian migrants to flee

Amid a wave of anti-immigrant demonstrations, Nigerian entrepreneur Richard Itoro left Johannesburg on a voluntary repatriation flight in June, abandoning his car-dealership, home and family due to threats against him and his South African wife. He says the Nigerian high commission would not permit his wife and children to accompany him. In a separate case, Ghanaian hairstylist Emmanuel Asamoah, who had settled in Soweto, was confronted by a mob that demanded he leave, prompting his return to Accra where he has started a cement venture.

Both claim to have held legal residency papers, but South Africa’s Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie emphasized that only those with proper documentation are welcome. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye highlighted attacks on legally resident Nigerians, while South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola defended the country’s sovereign right to enforce immigration laws, noting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s firm stance.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa condemned the treatment of Ghanaian nationals as contrary to Pan-African solidarity. The episodes have contributed to diplomatic friction and a tarnished international image for South Africa.