A fresh diplomatic dispute has erupted between Ghana and South Africa following the death of a Ghanaian migrant, with both countries offering conflicting accounts of the incident.
The row comes days after thousands of people marched across South Africa on Tuesday as weeks of anti-undocumented immigrant protests culminated in an unofficial June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
South African security authorities say more than 25,000 people, including hundreds of Ghanaians, have left the country in recent weeks as several African nations repatriated their citizens amid rising tensions.
Ghana’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that a 40-year-old Ghanaian, Bashiru Isak, was shot dead during anti-immigrant demonstrations in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. The ministry described the killing as being linked to ongoing xenophobic attacks and said it had lodged a formal protest with the South African government.
However, South Africa rejected the claim, describing it as “factually incorrect” and insisting no deaths were recorded during Tuesday’s protests.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi accused Ghana of spreading false information and said portraying South Africa as xenophobic without verified facts was unacceptable.
The disagreement follows a similar warning issued last month by South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, who urged Ghana to avoid making public statements based on incomplete or misleading information regarding the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Chrispin Phiri also criticised Ghana for releasing information that had not been verified through diplomatic channels.
South African police said preliminary investigations indicate the victim’s death may have been linked to an extortion attempt rather than the anti-immigrant protests. According to police, a 35-year-old Ghanaian was shot inside a barbershop on Monday after unidentified gunmen allegedly demanded money before opening fire. Authorities also disputed the victim’s identity, date and location of the incident as reported by Ghana.
Despite Pretoria’s position, Ghana’s Foreign Ministry said it stands by its account of the incident.
The conflicting narratives have further strained relations between the two countries as concerns over migrant safety and anti-immigrant sentiment continue to grow in South Africa.
