Three Ghanaian children living in South Africa have shared harrowing accounts of bullying, discrimination and emotional abuse at school amid growing concerns over renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
The children said they have endured persistent harassment despite being born and raised in South Africa.
An 11-year-old boy recounted how classmates regularly insult him because of his Ghanaian background, leaving him longing to return to his parents’ homeland.
“Sometimes they tell me I am ugly and a foreigner. There are times they call me names. I choose to be a Ghanaian. I want to come to Ghana. They just bully us every day,” he said.
His six-year-old sister also described what she said was persistent discrimination at school, alleging that even her teacher subjects her to abuse by referring to her with a derogatory term commonly used in South Africa against foreign nationals.
“Always in my class, my teacher calls me ‘makwerekwere’. She blames me for things I did not do and calls my classmates to tease me. I don’t know why.
“When my father comes over, she acts as if nothing happened. She doesn’t want to be friends with me, but when my father is around, she acts nice to me. I don’t want to stay here, I want to come back to Ghana, my country,” she recounted.
Their seven-year-old brother also shared his ordeal, saying he is frequently mocked over his appearance and subjected to harassment by his classmates.
“When I am eating, they kick my food away, complain, and lie about me. They say I have two big teeth, two big ears, and a long nose. Afterwards, they say they will send me out of their school,” he said.
Their father, Isaac Owusu, said the worsening hostility towards foreign nationals has left his children traumatised and unwilling to attend school. According to him, they have remained at home for about a month because of fears for their safety.
Mr. Owusu said his family is ready to return to Ghana on the next evacuation flight being arranged by the Government of Ghana, citing reports of a June 30 ultimatum allegedly issued by some South Africans demanding that foreign nationals leave the country.
“I went to the High Commission last week and was told that there will be a flight next week, though I was not told the day. I will use this opportunity to plead with His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to have mercy on us because we are facing a very big challenge,” he appealed.
The children’s accounts come amid a renewed wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant sentiment in parts of South Africa, prompting the Ghanaian government to step up efforts to evacuate citizens who wish to return home.
Since the latest resurgence of xenophobic violence, Ghana has evacuated more than 987 of its nationals from South Africa.
The first evacuation flight arrived in Accra on May 27 with 300 returnees, while a second flight on June 6 brought back 345 more Ghanaians.
Government officials have indicated that additional evacuation flights will be arranged for citizens who have registered to return home.
