The first group of Ghana nationals who accepted their government’s voluntary repatriation offer has departed South Africa amid growing tensions linked to anti-immigration protests.
Benjamin Quashie confirmed that more than 800 Ghanaians had registered for voluntary evacuation.
The first group was scheduled to leave from OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday morning.
Quashie said many of those choosing to leave had not personally experienced violence or direct threats but no longer felt safe amid escalating anti-immigration protests across parts of the country.
Some reportedly said they had been warned to leave South Africa by 30 June.
“The responsibility of any government is towards its citizens,” Quashie said.
“We have a situation where people are feeling unwelcome. While we have excellent relations with South Africa, we had no option but to ensure that our citizens are safe.”
Quashie added that more than 16,000 Ghanaians currently reside in South Africa, with the majority living in the country legally and complying with local laws.
Additional groups of Ghanaian nationals are expected to be repatriated in the coming days.
Meanwhile, immigration officials said only 10 of the 300 people processed overnight were found to be in the country legally.
Officials said many individuals were found to be in violation of South African immigration laws and could face sanctions.
“We found that many of them did not comply with South African immigration legislation. There are certain transgressions found and therefore we’ll have to ensure sanctions are enforced,” an official said.
The developments come amid an ongoing national debate over undocumented migration and immigration enforcement in South Africa.