900 Ghanaians to be evacuated from South Africa on July 25

The Government of Ghana will begin another phase of its voluntary repatriation programme for Ghanaians living in South Africa on Friday, July 25, 2026, following the registration of nearly 900 citizens who have expressed a desire to return home.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, announced the exercise in a broadcast from Pretoria on Tuesday, July 14, saying the initiative forms part of the government's continued support for citizens affected by difficult living conditions in South Africa.

The latest operation follows the successful evacuation of about 926 Ghanaians earlier this year after xenophobic attacks left many stranded in churches, hotels and with relatives and friends across the country.

“As a government that cares, the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instituted us into having an evacuation for Ghanaians who voluntarily want to go home. We have almost 926 that have gone home. I'm here to announce that the Ministry has provided, through the Office of the President, support for us to be able to also do another repatriation of close to 900 Ghanaians who are voluntarily giving their names here in South Africa that they want to go,” he said.

Mr. Quashie disclosed that South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs and Border Management Authorities had approved July 25 as the commencement date for the exercise.

He explained that the repatriation would follow the same procedures used during the previous evacuation operations.

“The modalities will be the same as the modalities of the previous three repatriations that we've had, and so we'll be coming to the churches, we'll be speaking to you, we'll be going to the hotels, and we want us all to do this in a very coordinated way. Let me repeat, the date is that we'll start the repatriation of the 900 that have been left here on the 25th of this month (July). We'll come to the various places where you are lodged, we'll transport some of you from all the provinces to come down,” he stated.

The High Commissioner stressed that the exercise would only cover individuals who had already completed the registration and screening process.

“We are not doing new registrations yet. We are going according to those who have been registered and screened. If you know that you've not been registered or you've not been screened, we don't want you to make it look as if we are the bad ones,” he cautioned.

According to him, flights will depart daily from July 25 until all registered persons have been returned to Ghana, with beneficiaries to be notified in advance of their travel schedules for both morning and afternoon departures.

Mr. Quashie also announced that the upcoming exercise would mark the end of the government's large-scale repatriation programme for Ghanaians in South Africa.

“These are people that we know genuinely; they want to go home. Genuinely, they have issues. Genuinely, they have challenges. The government, through the benevolence of the President, and also our Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, now is the time for us to take the 900 back home. When we do this 900, let me inform all of us that that will be the number at which we're done with the repatriation. It will then be on a case-by-case basis through consular services,” he said.

He further advised registered beneficiaries to strictly adhere to the arrangements put in place and avoid travelling to the Ghana High Commission without prior notice.

“Do not come from the provinces with your bags packed and coming to the High Commission that you need accommodation, you need this, you need that. Let's follow the procedure. Let's follow what we have indicated will be the protocols, so that we can have a very, very smooth repatriation,” he added.