Senior Ghanaian miners in South Africa seek evacuation amid rising xenophobic tensions - High Commissioner

Benjamin Quashie, Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, disclosed that senior Ghanaian professionals working in South Africa's mining sector have expressed interest in being included in Ghana's ongoing evacuation exercise. Mr. Quashie said, "A group of senior citizens and senior staffers of some of the mines in South Africa, who are Ghanaians working there, have just been told by their executives that they also want to leave and go back to Ghana. So that they can go and help in the mining sector." He made these remarks on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Thursday, May 28.

The affected workers, many of whom are senior citizens occupying strategic roles in the mining industry, reached out through their leadership to request repatriation assistance. The miners cited warnings from their employers that authorities could not guarantee their protection ahead of a planned demonstration scheduled for June 30, during which foreign nationals may be at heightened risk. Mr. Quashie noted that the workers feel their contributions have not been adequately recognised and that their bosses have told them that they should not come to work on June 30 because they cannot guarantee their safety.

The High Commissioner's remarks come amid Ghana's ongoing evacuation exercise, which has already seen three hundred citizens repatriated following reports of xenophobic attacks and escalating insecurity targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.