The effects of the Refusal of the Alleged Request for the State Visit by President Ramaphosa of South Africa and the way forward for Ghana

Due to Xenophobic attacks on Africans especially Ghanaians by some people of South Africa has led to a seemingly democratic roar between South Africa and affected Countries. This saw the Government of Ghana evacuating 1000 willing nationals from South Africa. As well as working hard through Diplomatic Channels to get the Authorities in South Africa to ensure Sanity (law and order) prevails in South Africa especially to ensure the dignity and human rights of Nationals through the protection of all foreign nationals.

Fortunately or unfortunately, in the front burner, is a Report of Ghana’s refusal to grant a request for State Visit to President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to Ghana in the first week of August 2026. This is due to Ghana’s concerns over the killing of a Ghanaian national and the xenophobic attacks, targeting Ghanaians in South Africa. As well as the failure to meet Ghana’s demand that the Authorities of South Africa must take concrete steps to protect foreign nationals before any future national engagement can be considered.

South Africa’s Presidency has publicly indicated that they did not make a formal request for a State Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Ghana. It was made clear that the diplomatic message sent to Ghana was a follow up on a diplomatic routine communication to confirm a seating of the Ghana-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC). Which reportedly, covers political, economic, defence, security and social sectors which involves the active attendance of the Presidents of both Nations.

According to South Africa, the BNC was established in 2019 by the two Countries for bilateral cooperation on political, economic, defence, security and social sectors. That the Second one was held in South Africa in March 2024 and Ghana is scheduled to host the third Session of the BNC. Google for ‘We do not request for State Visit to Ghana’ by South Africa.

Ghana’s move, is viewed as a strong protective one for Ghana’s dignity, pride, citizen safety, though it risks short-term economic and diplomatic friction with South Africa. So whether the refusal of the State Visit is a good or bad one, depends on what one value most. That is either the immediate safety or dignity of citizens, hence the Nation’s pride or the long-term economic ties between the two countries. Thus these are two options opened to Ghana on the Official Desk of the President of Ghana and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Hence, the refusal has associated Pros and Cons.

The following are the pros on the refusal for the alleged State Visit by President of South Africa:

1. Firm Signal on Safety of citizens is nonnegotiable: The move sends a firm signal to the Government and people of South Africa that the safety of citizens is nonnegotiable, especially due to the recent xenophobic violence and the killing of a National of Ghana.
2. Prevention of public backlash: Allowing the visit, amid the seemingly raw emotions with high tension could have sparked widespread public protest by Ghanaians and embarrassment for both Leaders
3. Projects National Pride: It projects an uncompromising national image, by prioritizing human rights and a Nation’s responsibility over ceremonial-ops or gestures.
4. Diplomatic leverage: Cancelling the visit may force the South African Authorities to address the violence and guarantee the safety of foreign nationals, if they want to restore high level diplomatic relations.

The following are the Cons on the refusal for the alleged State Visit by the President of South Africa:

1. Economic Consequences: It could cause negative impact on bilateral trade, investors’ confidence especially regarding the African wider economic integration agenda.
2. Effects on Continental integration: Strained diplomatic ties may create frictions in Africans agenda of continental integration especially, the economic integration agenda such as the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA). This therefore carries potential risks for broader bilateral trade and pan African Unity.

So it may be claimed that the refusal for the State Visit is a good one, in response to the escalating anti-foreigner violence in South Africa that resulted in the killing of a Ghanaian, national namely Bashiru Isak and the repatriation of 1000 Ghanaians by the Government Ghana, has culminated in the refusal to grant the State visit to President Ramaphosa.

But, it is envisaged that President Ramaphosa of South Africa ability to address xenophobia is heavily complicated by the country’s severe domestic crisis and the government needs to balance constitutional human rights with rising immigrant vigilantism. Some key factors, which may seemed to be making it difficult are;

Mass unemployment and resource scarcity,

South Africa faces unemployment rate at 34 percent surging up to 70 percent among the youth due to fierce competition for basic resources, housing, jobs, as result struggling local communities often scapegoat foreign nationals for their economic hardships.

Vigilantism and mob rule
The Regime of President Ramaphosa of South Africa is struggling to contain vigilante group and citizen led movements that took/take the law into their hands. By that, they set up deadlines for illegal migrants to leave the country, blocked access to public services and raided businesses of other Africans. Thus, the State of South Africa is challenged with trying to maintain the rule of law while preventing violent justice.

Diplomatic friction across Africa
President Ramaphosa has to walk a delicate diplomatic tightrope, since government must crack down on undocumented migration to satisfy domestic voters and neighboring countries. So, the law enforcements must balance Constitutional Rights with Global and Constitutional human rights requirements, since the government is legally bound by the South African Constitution and International Law to protect the human dignity and rights of all individuals residing within the borders of South Africa.

Unfortunately, flawed border management and systematic corruption weakness, and fragmentation within immigration management system and border controls created a large undocumented immigrants which complicates any straightforward approach to the enforcing of immigration laws without violating human rights

Effects on Staled Negotiation
Both Countries, especially Ghana must be guided that State visits and Bilateral National Commissions meetings are the primary channels for resolving conflicts So refusal for them (State Visit or BNC) could temporarily freeze diplomatic progress on vital issues especially compensation for affected Ghanaians which Ghana should be seen seriously pushing for through diplomatic Channels.

So a postponement of the BNC and not a total refusal, should be the good move by Ghana, especially when His Excellency President Mahama is standing by to be the Chairman of the African Union, in 2027 as such he needs to demo that diplomatic qualities or character (through negotiation for settlements, or by mediation.

The Way forward
Some Scholars are of the view that though President Ramaphosa, like President Mahama is disqualified to stand for a third term under the current Constitutions of their respective Countries, he may be weakened by the need to ensure the return of the ANC, his Political Party into majority in Parliament for the Leader to be nominated as President.

This maybe so, since the ANC Party made him both President of South Africa and a business titan (by the arrangement or courtesy of President Mandela during his regime), so working softly to satisfy majority of the voters, mostly the mean and women on the street to vote for his Party in the upcoming election, may be the reason for his weak posture use very high force to ensure sanity prevails.

Notwithstanding, the state of affairs, Dialogue (jaw, jaw channels) must be opened and ongoing, since diplomacy is fundamentally, the primary tool for resolving a conflict in Africa. Though it is not the only rare option or not a standalone panacea. It should be complemented with good governance, economic development etc and when necessary peacekeeping support.

His Excellency President Mahama, a very good Historian, a very seasoned Politician, one who with the exception of occupying the Office of DCE and Speaker of Parliament, occupied all the Political Offices from Assemblyman, Hon MP, Deputy Minister, Minister of State, Vice President to the Office of President of Ghana and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and who is a global ion par excellent, may surely opt for diplomatic efforts in resolving conflicts.

This should be the way to go, in order to ensure very good compensations for the affected persons or victims of the crisis, especially those from Ghana and as the potential Chairman of African Union, he needs to demo that diplomacy is the tool he is going to use in his Chairmanship of the AU.

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