Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, is calling for direct intervention from Presidents John Dramani Mahama and Cyril Ramaphosa to help ease rising tensions between Ghana and South Africa. He believes that recent diplomatic exchanges and ongoing concerns over attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa have reached a point where ministerial-level engagement may no longer be enough.
According to the Damongo MP, relations between the two countries have weakened significantly, with trust between the governments appearing to be at its lowest. He also pointed to recent public disagreements between the foreign ministries of both countries as evidence of strained communication and reduced cordiality.
Jinapor argued that only high-level political engagement between the two presidents can help de-escalate the situation, restore confidence, and preserve the long-standing friendship between Ghana and South Africa.
The tensions have been fueled by reports of xenophobic attacks targeting Ghanaians and other foreign nationals in South Africa. Both governments, however, are divided on the cause of a recent incident in which a Ghanaian was shot dead in Cape Town. Ghana’s Foreign Ministry linked the killing to broader xenophobic violence, while South African authorities insist it was a robbery-related crime, citing police investigations.
South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, rejected Ghana’s version of events, describing it as factually incorrect and not supported by police findings. Authorities in the Western Cape maintain that the victim was attacked during an armed robbery at a barbershop in Nyanga.
The dispute adds to earlier friction, including criticism from South Africa over Ghana’s decision to evacuate its citizens following threats from vigilantes targeting undocumented migrants and foreign-owned businesses. While South African officials viewed the move as an overreaction, other countries reportedly took similar precautionary steps.
The situation remains tense as vigilante groups had earlier issued deadlines for the removal of undocumented migrants, claiming they contribute to unemployment, poverty, and crime. That deadline has since passed, but concerns about the safety of foreign nationals persist.
Source: myjoyonline.com
