Leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has criticised Ghana’s decision to evacuate its citizens from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Malema said Ghana’s response was premature and failed to encourage diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
His comments come after the Ghanaian government evacuated 300 citizens from South Africa to Accra on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the group forms part of more than 800 Ghanaians who voluntarily registered for evacuation.
South African authorities reportedly disclosed that only 10 of the evacuees had valid legal status in the country, while the remaining 290 had either overstayed their visas or lacked proper documentation.
Reacting to the development, Mr Malema questioned the argument that migrants were responsible for unemployment in South Africa.
“Ghanaians are gone now, 300 of them. How many 300 jobs were created after the Ghanaians left?” he asked.
According to him, blaming migrants for economic hardship only deepens divisions created during the colonial era and unfairly paints all South Africans as xenophobic.
“The Ghana response was not necessary because it now creates the impression that we are all like that, when it is a certain section of our society that needs to be contained by law enforcement,” he said.
Mr Malema also referenced the account of a Ghanaian woman who claimed police officers failed to intervene while she was being assaulted, describing the situation as a serious concern.
He argued that Ghana should have allowed South African authorities more time to address the matter through diplomatic channels.
“We think [the Ghanaian government’s action] was too quick. We should resolve this. The President of Ghana should have given us some time to really deal with this matter and get to the bottom of it,” he stated.
Mr Malema further stressed the need for continued diplomatic engagement between both countries.
“We need to pursue diplomatic engagements with Ghana until we find solutions. We don’t think Ghana responded in a manner that really enforces dialogue and diplomatic engagements,” he added.
The evacuation follows growing concerns over attacks against foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, which have sparked reactions across the African continent.
CREDIT: Mavis Fantevi
