The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s condemnation of recent xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals, describing his intervention as an important but overdue response to rising concerns over the safety of African migrants in South Africa.
President Ramaphosa, in a national address on June 7, 2026, dismissed suggestions that South Africans are inherently xenophobic and reaffirmed that values of tolerance, diversity, and peaceful coexistence remain central to the country’s national identity.
His remarks come at a time of renewed tensions and reported attacks on foreign nationals, prompting several African countries, including Ghana, to evacuate citizens from South Africa as a precautionary measure.
Speaking to Citi News, the Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fred Duhoe, welcomed the South African leader’s statement but stressed that words alone are not enough.
“We welcome his stance because it has been long overdue,” he said. “We expected him to make emphatic statements condemning these acts.”
However, he urged the South African authorities to go further by ensuring that those behind the violence are brought to justice.
“But beyond that, we believe he must take a further step by directing security and law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book,” he added, noting that some individuals were still issuing threats linked to a reported June 30 deadline.
On the question of whether Ghana would carry out further evacuations, Mr. Duhoe said the government is currently assessing the situation after completing multiple evacuation exercises.
“We’ve conducted three successful evacuations. We want to take stock of what we have done so far and assess the situation so that if there is a need for a fourth evacuation, we will undertake it,” he explained.
He added that authorities are also reviewing the extent to which the government can intervene when citizens voluntarily request assistance to return home.
