South Africa has disclosed that a large number of Ghanaians who recently returned home were found to have breached the country’s immigration regulations.
According to South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, nearly three out of every four returnees had remained in the country beyond the period permitted by their visas.
Following due legal processes, authorities classified them as undesirable persons.
“As I’ve said earlier on, with the bulk of all Ghanaians that have come back home, almost 74% had overstayed, and they had been declared undesirable through our processes, and this is the law, and this has been communicated to the High Commissioner,” Mr Lamola stated.
Despite these immigration-related issues, the minister stressed that South Africa remains committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all people living within its territory, including citizens of Ghana.
During an interview on June 10, he said the country’s constitutional obligations require the government to protect everyone without exception.
“We are indeed protecting all people within the borders of South Africa. Constitutionally, we are duty-bound to protect everyone, including Ghanaian nationals,” he said.
Mr Lamola pointed out that many Ghanaians continue to contribute positively to South Africa’s economy. He noted that they are employed in different sectors and play an important role in the country’s development.
“There is a huge number of them in the various sectors of our economy. The South African government is duty-bound to ensure that they feel safe and they play their role as they are supposed to be in the country,” he added.
The minister further explained that the Constitution does not draw distinctions between people based on their nationality or immigration status when it comes to safety and protection.
“The Constitution does not differentiate. The government has got the responsibility to make sure that everyone is safe,” he said.
His remarks came amid growing concerns over attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. He said the government strongly opposes such acts and remains determined to protect all residents from violence.
“It is for that reason why we are condemning the violence against foreign nationals, because it is our duty as the government of South Africa to protect everyone within our borders,” Mr Lamola explained.
While reaffirming that commitment, he also emphasised the need for compliance with immigration laws. He said authorities would continue their efforts to curb illegal migration by enforcing existing policies.
