Diplomatic Tension Brews …As South Africa Warns Ghana Over Evacuation “Drama”

A diplomatic storm is brewing between South Africa and Ghana after Pretoria launched a fierce attack on comments made by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, over the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

In an unusually blunt statement, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, accused Ghana of spreading misinformation and turning a humanitarian repatriation effort into a “public spectacle.”

Lamola said he was “deeply disappointed” by Ablakwa’s recent interview with JoyNews, insisting that several claims made by the Ghanaian minister were inaccurate and lacked proper diplomatic conduct.

“Our initial hope was simply to assist the Government of Ghana in repatriating its citizens in a humane and cordial manner. However, we will not continue to tolerate these public spectacles, characterised by incomplete information and outright misinformation devoid of any diplomatic decorum”, Lamola declared.

One of South Africa’s biggest challenges to Ghana’s claims centred on reports that 15 Ghanaians were receiving treatment in South African hospitals following recent attacks.
According to Lamola, South African authorities have no record of such cases.

“We are hearing for the first time through media interviews that 15 Ghanaians are hospitalised,” he said, adding that Ghana’s High Commissioner had not officially shared any information with his government.

SA Ready To Face Ghana

The South African minister also took aim at suggestions that Ghana could pursue legal action against South Africa, warning Pretoria would aggressively challenge any lawsuit it considers baseless.
“Let there be no misunderstanding: we will vigorously defend any frivolous or baseless lawsuit emanating from Ghana against South Africa”, Mr. Lamola said

In another dramatic twist, Lamola disclosed that he had previously written to Ablakwa complaining about what he described as worsening conditions for South African companies operating in Ghana.
He went a step further, warning that he was prepared to make the letter public if anyone denied its existence.

Despite the sharp exchange, Lamola insisted that South Africa remains committed to regional cooperation and is willing to engage Ghana through bilateral talks, the African Union and other diplomatic channels.

He stressed that violence against migrants has no place in South Africa and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to protecting people regardless of their nationality.