The Ghanaian government has turned down a planned state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa following the killing of a Ghanaian citizen and renewed concerns over reported xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa.
The decision came after the death of 40-year-old Bashiru Isak, whom Ghanaian authorities said was killed during demonstrations linked to fresh anti-foreigner violence on June 30, 2026.
Government sources said Accra considered the safety of Ghanaians living in South Africa a more pressing issue that required urgent attention before any high-level diplomatic engagement could take place.
Ramaphosa had been scheduled to visit Ghana during the first week of August for talks aimed at strengthening relations between both countries and discussing issues of mutual interest, including concerns over attacks on foreign nationals.
However, Ghana has now postponed the visit, insisting that the security of its citizens must take priority.
The Ghanaian government has also lodged an official protest with South African authorities over Isak’s death and the wider concerns about the treatment of Ghanaian nationals in the country.
According to officials in Accra, Isak was shot dead during what they described as anti-immigrant demonstrations connected to ongoing xenophobic attacks in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township.
South African authorities, however, rejected Ghana’s account of the incident, insisting that the claims were inaccurate.
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The South African government said no deaths were recorded during the June 30 demonstrations, which drew thousands of protesters in different parts of the country.
South Africa’s Minister of Justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi, criticised Ghana’s description of the incident.
“It is concerning that Ghanaian authorities continue to communicate false information about South Africa regarding developments on irregular migration,” she was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The spread of false information to perpetuate the false narrative that South Africa is xenophobic is unacceptable,” she added.
The disagreement has renewed concerns about the safety of African migrants living in South Africa, with Ghana calling for stronger protection for its citizens and measures to prevent further attacks.
The latest dispute also adds to growing diplomatic pressure on South Africa, which has recently faced criticism from several African countries, including Nigeria, over anti-migrant protests and attacks targeting foreign nationals.
Despite the current tensions, Ghana and South Africa have long maintained close diplomatic and economic relations, cooperating on trade, investment, regional security and continental affairs.
The disagreement over recent events, however, has strained those ties as both governments continue to exchange differing accounts of the incident.