The Minister’s visit comes in the wake of attacks on non-South Africans in recent weeks.

The visit will give the Minister the opportunity to ascertain at first hand, the events that led to the attacks and bring clarity to the issue of reported casualties.

She will also meet with the South African authorities and secure assurances about the safety of Ghanaians in the country.

Hon Ayorkor Botchwey returns to Accra on March 14, 2017.

‘2017 Xenophobic attacks in South Africa’

Xenophobic attacks on non-South Africans were renewed in February this year following allegations by locals that foreigners have taken over their jobs and therefore rendering them jobless.

Reports indicated that many foreigners had been physically assaulted and their shops looted amidst the violence.

Nigerians were said to be worse affected.

Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey on the floor of parliament said although there was no confirmation of any Ghanaian who had been attacked, Ghanaians in South Africa were living in fear.

She said, “In Mamelodi, a suburb in Pretoria, there is general fear and apprehension within the various foreign communities including that of Ghana following a decision by a local to organize an anti-foreigner march today to protest at what he referred to as South African nationals being tired of enslavement and being deprived of job opportunities in their own country.”

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Communication from Ghana’s Mission in South Africa said the 18 were rescued after one of them sent a distress call to the mission. A group of South Africans called Namelodi Concerned Residents, are accusing non-South Africans of taking over their jobs and leaving them jobless.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MvzMO59EIWM4QwtPP75C3Ybktw84Slmg”]A few of the Ghanaians are reported to have sustained various degrees of injury.

Following the renewed xenophobic attacks, over one hundred and forty suspects have been arrested after clashes with migrants, left some of the migrants, including Ghanaians injured.

The High Commission says the 18 Ghanaians rescued are now safe.

Narrating to Citi News how the attacks began, a reporter based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Larenzo Themba, said “what was supposed to be a peaceful march against illegal immigrants nearly turned out to be quite chaotic where the Police were forced to try and calm situations under the disguise of anti immigrants; but the situation is quite peaceful now and we haven’t seen any sort of violence taking place.”

She said the attacks started when “a protest being staged by concerned residents was hijacked by a group of youth mainly from other townships, and started to really cause chaos, intimidating foreign nationals and looting a shop.”

Ghanaians in SA paranoid over xenophobic attacks

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, had told Parliament a week ago that, Ghanaians in South Africa were paranoid over xenophobic attacks in some parts of that country.

“In Mamelodi, a suburb in Pretoria, there is general fear and apprehension within the various foreign communities including that of Ghana following a decision by a local to organize an anti-foreigner march today to protest at what he referred to as South African nationals being tired of enslavement and being deprived of job opportunities in their own country,” she added.

She told Parliament on Friday that her outfit has adopted stringent measures to ensure the safety of Ghanaians living in South Africa.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline,com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post 18 Ghanaians rescued from xenophobic attacks in South Africa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“In Mamelodi, a suburb in Pretoria, there is general fear and apprehension within the various foreign communities including that of Ghana following a decision by a local to organize an anti-foreigner march today to protest at what he referred to as South African nationals being tired of enslavement and being deprived of job opportunities in their own country,” she added.

She told Ghana’s Parliament on Friday that, although no Ghanaian has been affected in the recent attacks, her outfit has adopted stringent measures to ensure the safety of Ghanaians living in South Africa.

There have been recorded cases of attacks on non-South Africans in recent times.

Tensions have heightened in that country following a group calling itself Mamelodi Concerned Residents’ notice of organizing a march today, Friday, in protest of what it said was foreigners taking over their businesses.

Several calls by leaders in South Africa as well as opinion leaders for calm have proved futile.

A similar incident occurred in South Africa in 2015.

The Foreign Affairs minister further disclosed to the legislators some safety measures Ghana’s mission in South Africa had put in place:

• The mission has visited many shops owned by Ghanaians in the sunny suburb of Pretoria informing them of the development and the need to activate all early warning signals using social media groups to provide information in case of any attacks.
• [Ghanaian]Pretoria shop owners have been directed to close their shops immediately the threats are deemed as eminent.
• The Ghanaian community in Mamelodi where the march against foreigners will take place today have also been advised not to open their businesses today and remain indoors while awaiting all clear signals from community leaders and the mission.
• The mission has also written a note verbale to the department of international relations and corporation requesting their continued protection of Ghanaian nationals and all non-South African nationals as well as their businesses.
• The mission in addition to its official numbers introduced a 24-hour mobile hotline [0027 (0) 713098034] that can also be accessed via social media including Whatsapp and telephone. The number is exclusively for any information relating to the xenophobic attacks and so far we have had a few calls.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Sixtus Dong Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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