Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has confirmed that two Ghanaian nationals have lost their lives following a fresh wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, July 27, 2026, the Minister said the two victims were attacked in separate incidents in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, and Prieska in the Northern Cape Province.

According to Ablakwa, 44-year-old Bashiru Isaac, a father of three, was shot and killed in Khayelitsha, while Kojo Antwi was murdered in Prieska on July 18.

The Minister described the attacks on African migrants as deeply troubling and reiterated the government’s commitment to pursuing justice for the victims through both diplomatic engagement and legal processes.

He attributed the recent violence to the activities of certain civic groups, including March and March and Operation Dudula, whose campaigns, he said, have shifted from purported city-cleaning exercises to the intimidation, harassment and unlawful targeting of African migrants through so-called citizen arrests.

Ablakwa disclosed that Ghana had formally protested to South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation after disputing an earlier claim by South African authorities that one of the deceased had been wrongly identified.

He explained that Bashiru Isaac’s body was flown into Ghana through Kotoka International Airport on July 14 before being transferred to the 37 Military Hospital for an independent autopsy because Ghana had not been provided with the official South African post-mortem report.

Although Ghana has completed its own coroner’s investigation, the Minister said the government is still awaiting the South African autopsy report to support any further legal and diplomatic steps.

Regarding the death of Kojo Antwi, Ablakwa said investigations are still underway to determine whether the incident was directly connected to the recent xenophobic attacks. He urged the public to rely only on verified information as inquiries continue.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also revealed that 926 Ghanaians were evacuated from Johannesburg between May 27 and June 7 through three chartered flights under the first phase of the government’s emergency evacuation programme.

He announced that the second phase of the evacuation, which commenced on July 26, is expected to bring home approximately 1,000 additional Ghanaians. About 200 returnees have already arrived in Accra, while another group is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

To support their reintegration, Ablakwa said each returnee will receive a GH¢5,000 reintegration package, a GH¢500 transportation allowance, food assistance, trauma counselling and free enrolment onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He also expressed appreciation to the Church of Pentecost in Pretoria and Johannesburg for providing temporary accommodation to displaced Ghanaians, and commended humanitarian organisations and private sector partners for assisting with the evacuation exercise.

Ablakwa further disclosed that Ghana has petitioned the African Union to place the recurring xenophobic attacks on its agenda, arguing that such violence threatens African unity, free movement and the continent’s broader integration agenda.

While reaffirming Ghana’s strong diplomatic ties with South Africa, the Minister stressed that the government expects a thorough, transparent and timely investigation into the killings and remains committed to safeguarding the rights, safety and welfare of Ghanaians living abroad.