Nearly 300 Ghanaians boarded a government-organised repatriation flight from South Africa on Wednesday as fears of xenophobic violence grew. A second flight is scheduled for Sunday.
Close to 300 Ghanaians left South Africa on a chartered flight from OR Tambo International Airport organised by the Ghanaian government. The Border Management Authority said 295 passengers boarded after checks, with most found to have overstayed visas and declared undesirable under the Immigration Act.
Disputes arose over documentation. South African officials stated only 10 of the 300 were properly documented, while Ghanaian High Commissioner Benjamin Quashie said 80 percent held valid papers. Five people were denied boarding due to issues including missing consent forms for minors.
Quashie described the situation as disheartening and confirmed plans to raise xenophobia at the African Union summit next month. South African ministers met with groups including March and March to discuss immigration concerns and urged peaceful marches.
