Ghana postpones Ramaphosa visit amid xenophobia row
Ghana has postponed a planned state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa after tensions rose over anti-migrant protests in South Africa. The decision comes after xenophobic rallies in South Africa led to the repatriation of hundreds of Ghanaians. Officials in Accra said the visit would not go ahead for the time being.
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Government spokesman Felix Kwakye Ofosu said Ghana had sent a communication saying it would be best to defer the trip because of the current climate around xenophobia. Ramaphosa had been due to travel to Ghana in the first week of August, and the visit had been expected to help ease tensions between the two countries. South Africa's presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the two sides would continue to engage through diplomatic channels to find a mutually convenient date.
The dispute has been sharpened by a viral video showing Emmanuel Asamoah, a young Ghanaian living in South Africa, being confronted and told to "go fix his country". Ghana has already repatriated more than 900 of its citizens from South Africa, and another batch of more than 900 is expected to return in the coming weeks. Other African countries, including Nigeria, Malawi and Kenya, have also been bringing home nationals from South Africa amid the protests against foreigners.
The row matters because it touches on migration, public order and diplomatic relations between two of Africa's more influential states. Ramaphosa has said people have a right to protest as long as they are peaceful, and he has said he would do more to tackle irregular migration. The issue also comes against a wider backdrop of anti-foreigner protests in South Africa, which have prompted thousands of people to leave for their home countries elsewhere on the continent.
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Tensions rose further after Ghana condemned the alleged killing of Bahiru Isak, a 40-year-old Ghanaian national living in the Khayelitsha suburb of Cape Town. That allegation added to public anger in Ghana and increased pressure on officials to respond. The postponement of the visit suggests both governments are trying to avoid a further escalation while keeping diplomatic contact open.
It remains unclear when the visit might be rescheduled and whether the current repatriation efforts will continue at the same pace. The next developments to watch are any further statements from both governments and whether the situation around anti-migrant protests in South Africa changes. For now, the two sides say they will keep talking through official channels.
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