Evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa make nation proud with clean security record – Ablakwa

Ghanaian nationals evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks have made the country proud after passing extensive security screening without a single person being linked to criminal activity, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has disclosed.

The Minister said the outcome had vindicated Ghana's longstanding reputation as a nation of law-abiding citizens and disproved attempts by some individuals to portray Ghanaians as criminals.

Speaking at the Accra International Airport on Saturday night while receiving the second batch of about 340 evacuated Ghanaians from South Africa, Mr Ablakwa said Ghana had emerged from the crisis with its image and reputation enhanced.

Background: Security screening amid high national crime rates

The joint screening took place against a backdrop of persistently high violent crime in South Africa, committed by locals but wrongly attributed to foreign nationals.

In the 2022/23 financial year, South Africa Police Service (SAPS) recorded over 1.8 million counts of serious and violent crimes, a 7.7% increase from the previous year.

Murder rose by 9.2% to 27,494 cases, with an average of 76 people killed daily.

For 2023/24, murders remained high at 27,494 cases, though the rate showed early signs of slowing. The third quarter of 2023/24 saw murders rise by 155 cases year-on-year.

In 2024/25, the trend began to reverse. Murders fell to 6,545 cases in the first half of 2024, and to 5,794 in the first half of 2025. The fourth quarter of 2024/25 recorded 5,727 murders, down 9.5% from the previous year.

For the first three quarters of 2025/26, declines continued. Murder dropped 8.7% in Q3 and 9.5% in Q4, with 5,181 cases recorded between January and March 2026.

Other violent crimes also fell, with house robberies down 20.4% and carjackings down 12.3% in the April–September 2025 period.

Despite the recent decreases, officials note that levels remain unacceptably high, with an average of 58 murders a day recorded in early 2026, making South Africa one of the most voilent human societies.

Screening results
It was against this backdrop that South African authorities insisted on a joint security screening and vetting process as a condition for the evacuation exercise.

According to Mr Ablakwa, security agencies from both countries worked together to verify the identities and backgrounds of all Ghanaians seeking evacuation. The process involved checking names and biometric information against South Africa's criminal database and wanted persons list.

“When we informed them that we were going to evacuate all of you, the South African Government told us that there would have to be a condition. Their security agencies wanted to join us in the registration, screening, and vetting process because they have a wanted list and a database they wanted to check against,” he explained.

“So far, all the evacuation exercises we have done jointly with their security officials, not a single Ghanaian has been arrested. Not one Ghanaian,” he stated.

Mr Ablakwa said the clean record confirmed that Ghanaians living in South Africa were generally law-abiding and hardworking people seeking legitimate opportunities.

“It confirms that Ghanaians are law-abiding. Ghanaians do not foment trouble. You are not criminals as some people sought to portray you,” he told the returnees.

He commended the evacuees for upholding the values of discipline, hard work, and respect for the law, despite the challenges they encountered while living abroad. “You have not embarrassed us. You have not disgraced us. There is nobody, not a single person, who has been detained because the person is on a wanted list,” he said.

The Minister described the achievement as remarkable given the scale of the operation, noting that few countries could boast of a 100% clean security record among hundreds of nationals screened by foreign authorities.

He urged the returnees to remain proud of their identity and continue to uphold the values that had earned them recognition. He added that the Government was committed to supporting them through reintegration programmes, employment opportunities, and efforts to secure compensation for losses incurred during the attacks.

The evacuation exercise will conclude on Sunday with the arrival of the final batch of evacuees, bringing the total number of Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa to nearly 1,000.

“As a Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ghana, I am proud of all of you. You have shown that Ghanaians are decent, law-abiding, and responsible citizens wherever they find themselves,” Mr Ablakwa said.

GNA