The Government of Ghana has announced a temporary postponement of its planned evacuation of Ghanaian nationals from South Africa, following recent reports of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign residents in parts of the country.
In a statement issued on May 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the evacuation exercise, which was initially set to begin on Thursday, May 21, 2026, has been deferred by a few days to allow for the completion of critical logistical and legal arrangements.
According to the Ministry, more than 800 Ghanaians living in South Africa have registered with Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, indicating their willingness to return home amid growing safety concerns linked to renewed violence against foreign nationals.
The Ministry noted that the scale of the operation, combined with South African aviation and legal requirements, necessitated the delay to ensure full compliance with all procedures before the evacuation flights commence.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to provide an update on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, which was scheduled to commence today, 21st May, 2026. The Government of Ghana notes that more than 800 Ghanaians have registered with our High Commission in Pretoria seeking to be evacuated due to the latest wave of xenophobic attacks,” the statement said.
It further explained that several mandatory processes including passenger screening, inter-agency coordination, and flight clearance must be completed before the evacuation can proceed.
“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met, including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination, and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission to meet these evacuation conditions.”
The Ministry assured affected nationals that the government remains committed to ensuring their safe return home once all arrangements are finalized.
