South Africa has accused Ghana and Nigeria of spreading false news about xenophobia to isolate the country and create an impression that it is a pariah state requiring international court intervention. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya made the remarks during a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday. He said the campaign was primarily driven by Ghana.
Magwenya stated that the campaign sought to misrepresent diplomatic exchanges and portray South Africa as isolated. He noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa had recently met leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and several African counterparts to demonstrate ongoing engagement.
The spokesperson rejected claims that Ghanaians were disproportionately affected by recent protests, saying there was only one non-fatal incident involving a Ghanaian citizen. He added that Pretoria had raised concerns directly with Ghanaian High Commissioner Benjamin Quashie about verifying information.
On economic retaliation, Magwenya warned that appropriating South African company assets would be counterproductive and signal that those countries were closed for business. He said the process of despatching envoys to explain South Africa’s position on migration was underway.
