Xenophobic Attack on Ghanaians in South Africa; Ignorance, Laziness, or Politically Designed Contract Bargaining Stunt in the Mining and Telecommunication Industry that Fell Flat?

When hatred occupies the head, it can 'boil' to a degree the skull even succumbs to the heat and gives up broken. When that happens, chaos sets in and the situation ceases to be only the problem of the owner of the skull but a communal problem. Ignorance can also blindfold the importance of love and communal living.

Therefore, it is no surprise that ignorance can be darker than night. Should we not, then, strive to be brighter than light and make the world a better place?

If an African country or few African countries no longer believe in a united African voice or someday singing the ‘African anthem,’ owning up now will help others recompose the anthem together or return to their own national anthems and sing them with pride.

Ghana's national anthem is one of the oldest anthems in sub-Saharan Africa that played a role directly and indirectly in igniting and inflating hope to many Southern African countries, including South Africa to sail through and fly out of the wickedness of colonialism and apartheid and to land in 'freedom' being celebrated today.

As Ghana feels and some other African countries endure the injury inflicted by South African unapologetic xenophobic actions to Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and other pan Africanists' call for open-door liberation fights and organizing, one with a genuine unity of all Africans and African countries as its goal, and the fact that the dynamics of global power play today puts the mission somewhat close to a finish line, Nelson Mandela's own backyard was never expected to be the source of aggressive derailment of that track nearing the finish line.

Is it a calculated scheme to return South Africa to its dark past and this time by themselves that they are failing to recognize, or is it ignorance and hatred fueling attacks on their fellow Africans?

A Ghanaian perspective may help uncover motives that only those in political circles seem able to explain regarding these unprovoked attacks on fellow Africans. It leaves one with little choice but to ask wild questions for the conscience of the wicked and guilty to wonder in that pool of questions to answer for themselves.

Is the xenophobic attack, especially on Ghanaians in South Africa an orchestrated strategy by the power players in South Africa to cow Ghana into renewing the Tarkwa gold mining lease operated by the South African miner Gold Fields expected to expire in April 2027 after Ghana’s John Mahama led resetting government declined an automatic twenty-year extension application the South African miner tabled in November 2025?

Is it the same strategy being used to pressure Ghana into renewing the Obuasi Gold Mine contract early, even though it is extended for five years from February 2025 and is set to expire in early 2030? These questions may seem wild, but they are still worth asking.

What appears to be a quick public relations gimmick that is now being forcefully pushed into the global airwaves by some South African politicians and activists to waterdown an inhumane treatment metered to Ghanaians living in South Africa seem to be unearthing many hidden motives, probably prepared in a social, political, and business laboratories that have fallen flat before the eyes of the architects of such politically diabolic, socially degrading, and diplomatically suicidal stunt. Hopefully, it is not what some social media commentators are insinuating.

Ghanaians must go on their knees to thank their God for saving them from an economic bondage brewed in its own continent but disguised with mining and telecommunication provision if this ends up being the case.

Are the chief economic slave masters no longer the Western world the same Ghana years back under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah shuttered during colonial bondage and called upon all Africans to unite to make the independence from colonialism meaningful to liberate Africa from any form of bondage, economic bondage included?

Did Nelson Mandela not echo the ‘gong-gong’ Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah beat into the ears of those marching on the streets of South Africa harming and displacing their brothers and sisters from Nkrumah’s own country he saw as just a part of an extended family called Africa, just as seen by many from other African countries?

Where were those South Africans, including their politicians, grandparents, kings, and queens now sitting in the comfort of their homes and palaces in South Africa when all African voices from near and far painfully contributed to building for them that comfort and the freedom to be in those homes and offices?

Where were the police men and women of South Africa who today stand aside and look while their fellow African brothers and sisters are beaten, thrown out of their houses and businesses, when the fathers, mothers, grandparents and leaders of those they have turned into punching bags today, in some cases were using their tears, sweat and prayers as building materials to build fear in the heart, mind and eyes of the oppressors during apartheid to give South Africans their freedom with the hope they will one day hug each other in unison?

Are the slave masters no longer the ones who committed atrocities the same Ghana under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and his able foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa succeeded in seeding in the books of the United Nations early 2026 as the greatest crime ever to have been slapped on a people, Africans? Are South Africans reigniting the inhumane and disgraceful flame that was extinguished years back before their eyes? This time against their fellow Africans?

Can Ghanaians now cast their minds back to the stance of Gold Fields prior to the Damang Gold Mine contract non-renewal discussions to the current outburst from the quarters of South African operated Tarkwa mines possible non-renewal in 2027 that is brewing legal fight slowly against the Government of Ghana?

Is it the fear of possible non-renewal of Tarkwa Mines in 2027 that fueled the xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians aimed at cowing Ghana government of the day into going on begging spree in South Africa on behalf of Ghanaians living in South Africa to then empower the mining companies operating in Ghana, their owners and shareholders in South Africa to use the sad situation as a leverage or bargaining chip to win the renewal bid, especially having seen Damang Gold Mine slip away to an indigenous Ghanaian mining company, Engineers and Planners (E&P), and by 2027 that Ghanaian company would have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that it is capable of owning Tarkwa Mines, maybe later the Obuasi Gold Fields as well?

In the telecommunication sector, considering MTN Ghana (Scancom PLC) majority owned by the South African multinational MTN Group operating license in Ghana extended in 2024 to last another 10 years, expiring in 2034. Will the happenings in South Africa affect their Ghanaian presence and patronage? While the attention of the ordinary Ghanaian has not gotten to the point of directing the anger of the excesses of the xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians in South Africa to them, an advice for them is to step up immediately to expand their corporate responsibility towards supporting the repatriating Ghanaians from South Africa to ease any tension brewing on social media about South African businesses in other African country. It is a necessary negative externality they must embrace, for having a South African root while this unfortunate development deescalates.

Ghana should be proud of its current president and foreign affairs minister for rejecting political pressure and showing the world that its citizens welfare is valuable and must not be bargaining chips if that was indeed the intention of some politically connected South African business interests.

Ghanaians are precious than the gold they have in abundance, and can have better life in their own country Ghana, if the natural resources it is endowed with are properly managed by patriotic leaders with political will for the benefit of its citizenry to shame anyone with the intention of enslaving a Ghanaian again because of the quest for a fundamental livelihood.

How coincidental can the xenophobic attacks that do not move the South African police to act, instead look on, and smile when South African companies in Ghana are under scrutiny for better services and possible non-renewal of contracts?

Ghanaian politicians, especially those in government, especially ministerial positions and the security services must wake up and treat these development as national security concerns, for when gold, diamonds and telecommunication laurels are at the center of a tussle, players in that field can be ruthless and can go any length including the use of inner-circle members of their perceived obstacles and enemies to inflict pain and confusion.

It may be time to appoint a retired military general as Minister of Mines, for the days ahead in that sector looks extremely challenging, especially with a democracy where the opposition is not pride itself with how patriotic it is enough to put Ghana first and offer constructive policy guidance, rather, it is how effective it is in making the ruling government unpopular to regain power, especially when its members are being investigated for alleged thievery of state funds and properties, and other corrupt activities while in office. History has taught Ghana that an opposition with such mentality do not mind stooping low to promise heavens to companies ready to bully ruling governments to feed into the plan of making a country ungovernable.

It is worth pointing out that Mining companies will do better by supporting the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) launched in June 2025 to combat illegal small-scale mining as part of their corporate responsibilities to help NAIMOS protect the mining industry by air and land with needed resources, including state-of-the-art helicopters and technologies. NAIMOS and the Ghana Armed Forces need a wider mandate to monitor all of Ghana’s mineral deposits, including active mines.

To the South Africans on the streets attacking other Africans, and those in their homes and political offices silent and looking unconcerned, they must be reminded of their past and ask themselves questions, of which one must be, whether it is a calculated scheme by some behind-the-scene movers and financiers to return South Africa to its dark past that they are failing to see, or it is ignorance and hatred fueling the attacks on their fellow Africans?

They must understand that if that day were to sadly revisit them again, many Africans would have graduated with degrees from the lessons of silence and sitting unconcerned they South Africans have taught them openly for free.

No African country or African government, including their immediate neighbors will forever again be a compound to house and train their forces, amplify their voices to the world that is already polarizing, and send them millions in dollars to encourage them as brothers and sisters as Ghana government and other African governments did years back.

African countries will no longer suspend the singing of their respective melodious national anthems to sing their South African wailing anthems and songs with them as was the case years back harmonized by the fighting spirit of Nelson Mandela.

One reminder for them, however, is that they can look to BRICS for the sympathy songs they have lately been rehearsing together.

Politicians in Ghana and other African countries must question themselves as to whether it is better to help build hospitals and provide basic amenities in their constituencies and country to save themselves and their people, or join the misappropriating funds brigade to pour all those funds in South Africa in the name of seeking medical attention there?

National Security of Ghana on the other hand, must ask the question, is it normal to see these happenings in South Africa as a country displaying ignorance, or it is worth reading deeper into whether businesses and contracts are influencing this development? Is there anything in common among the African countries subjected to the xenophobic attacks in South Africa?

Ghanaian ministers and the presidency should also ensure their security systems are top notch strong enough to detect and prevent insiders from causing harm.

For Ghana's history, both the painful and joyous periods must forever be a guide and inspiration to its citizenry, especially those at the corridors of power, and whenever the nation faces unprecedented challenges, the answer lies in the spirit and message of the anthem below.

"God bless our homeland Ghana.
And make our nation great and strong.
Bold to defend forever.
The cause of Freedom and of Right
Fill our hearts with true humility!
Make us cherish fearless honesty!
And help us to resist oppressor's rule.
With all our will and might for evermore."
I rest my PEN.
Mustapha Alhassan
Pennsylvania, USA