Ghana has postponed an upcoming state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing diplomatic friction and concern over recent xenophobic demonstrations in South Africa. The visit, which was anticipated to take place in August, has been deferred rather than canceled according to officials. Ghana's government spokesman, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, explained that while bilateral ties remain cordial, the visit was delayed to allow the current climate of tension to settle.
The postponement follows the repatriation of over 900 Ghanaian citizens from South Africa, with another 900 expected to return soon. Several other African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi, have similarly evacuated hundreds of their citizens due to ongoing anti-foreigner protests following a June 30 deadline set by some groups for undocumented migrants to leave.
Bilateral relations have been further strained by a dispute over the death of a Ghanaian national in Cape Town. Ghana condemned what it alleged was the protest-related killing of 40-year-old Bahiru Isak, while South African authorities denied this occurred, accusing Ghana of spreading falsehoods and disputing whether most repatriated Ghanaians possessed valid residency papers.