Ghana Declines President Ramaphosa’s State Visit Over Death of Ghanaian National in South Africa

• The Ghanaian government has responded to a planned State visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
• The South African government responded to Ghana's claims about the death of a Ghanaian national on 30 June 2026
• Ghana has already taken action against South Africa following anti-illegal immigrant demonstrations in the country

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

ACCRA - Ghana has formally declined a planned state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing the killing of a Ghanaian citizen and ongoing concerns about the safety of Ghanaians living in South Africa.

The decision, announced by government sources in Accra, came in the wake of the death of Bashiru Isak, a 40-year-old Ghanaian national who authorities say was shot and killed on 30 June 2026 during anti-immigrant demonstrations in the Khayelitsha township of Cape Town.

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Ghana has also filed a formal protest with Pretoria over the incident and the broader treatment of its nationals in South Africa. Ramaphosa had been expected to travel to Ghana during the first week of August, with the trip intended to strengthen bilateral ties and open dialogue on the protection of foreign nationals.

Ghanaian officials said the current diplomatic climate made it necessary to resolve outstanding concerns before any high-level engagement could proceed.

SA disputes Ghana's account of the killing

South African authorities have directly contested Accra's version of events. The South African government stated that no fatalities were recorded during the 30 June demonstrations, which drew large numbers of protesters across several parts of the country, and described Ghana's account as "factually incorrect" and "not based on fact."

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi went further, accusing Ghanaian officials of spreading misinformation.

"It is concerning that Ghanaian authorities continue to communicate false information about South Africa regarding developments on irregular migration," she said in a statement.

"The spread of false information to perpetuate the false narrative that South Africa is xenophobic is unacceptable," she added.

Diplomatic ties under strain

The dispute has introduced more friction into a relationship that has historically been anchored in strong trade, investment and regional cooperation between the two countries.

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There have been some disputes between the two countries in the wake of demonstrations against illegal immigrants in the country.

Ghana previously summoned South Africa’s acting High Commissioner over videos which depicted the harassment and intimidation of Ghanaian nationals and other African migrants. Ghanaians also took to the streets in their country to protest against illegal immigration.

The country also formally requested that xenophobic attacks in South Africa be placed on the agenda of the African Union’s (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Summit. It called for the AU to monitor, investigate the root causes, and hold a dialogue on migration/coexistence.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa also called for arrests to be made over the attacks on foreign nationals in the country.

Ghanaian national disappointed with South Africa

A Ghanaian national spoke to Briefly News about the country's perception of South Africa amid attacks against foreign nationals.

Emmanuel Mensah-Amoah, a resident of Accra, discussed why many Ghanaians opted to come to South Africa in the first place.

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The Ghanaian national also discussed the special package that his government offered citizens who would be evacuated from South Africa.

Source: Briefly News