“We, the people of South Africa, Recognise the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land, Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity” – Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) came into effect on 4th February 1997
South Africa? Turning its back on Africans, which helped her to fight Voerword, Pik Botha “apartheid? Especially, Ghanaians? Incroyable, unbelievable!
Reel back, 1957 – Ghana’s independence Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah said: “The independence of Ghana will be meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent.”
As students, we were enthused about “Africa” as a continent, and we did all we could to support the “Liberation Movements”, including collection of pesewas to fund the movements for agitation for independence. Students would go to school with palm kernels and brooms to be sold to raise funds for these “movements”.
Our borders were open to whoever chose to come to Ghana – not only to do business, but to get trained as “freedom fighters” to go back to their countries and “fight” with guns or propaganda to win independence. Robert Mugabe, one-time President of Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia, with Zambia called Northern Rhodesia – after Cecil Rhodes) came to Ghana, and got a wife, Sally, a teacher from Takoradi, a political activist called “Amai” (mother) in Zimbabwe.
Besides Ghana itself, all Ghanaian Embassies were instructed to pay African foreign nationals who knocked on their doors and identified themselves as “political refugees” or “asylum seekers” sums of money for their survival.
Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Patrice Lumumba (Congo: DRC), Holden Roberto and Agostinho Neto (Angola) were all here in the 1950s and 1960s to seek financial support. J.J. Rawlings gave Nelson Mandela $1m to support his campaign for his one-term Presidency (1994-1999)
As for Nigerians, Ghana became their second home – for petty trading and prostitution. We accepted them and enjoyed their business acumen and their “Calabar” women. They enjoyed all our social benefits – free education, free medical care, till “there arose a Pharaoh who knew not Yosef” (Exodus 1:8).
Professor Busia’s Progress Party government introduced the “Aliens Compliance Order” on November 18, 1969. The Nigerians became the scapegoats for Ghana’s economic misfortune and large-scale unemployment with around 200,000 Nigerians (mostly Yoruba). Ghanaians were enthused about the expulsion of Nigerians, recalling the Okyeman Resolution of 1935 which described the Nigerians as “trouble-makers” and hailed it as “a patriotic move to garner jobs for Ghanaians and rid the country of crimes.”
In 1983, it was the turn of Nigeria to “retaliate”. Ghanaians had flocked to Nigeria to take advantage of the Oil Boom, from 1977. Teachers, especially, were earnestly sought (and we went there in 1981). Ghanaians went there in their numbers as casual labourers, carpenters, masons (who would explain a crooked wall by saying it would straighten up when it got dry).
The Nigerian Thugs turned on the Ghanaians, tortured them (making “Yoruba marks” on their faces), burning some with tyres round their necks (necklace fire)… It was “Ghana Must Go”. And Omo Ghana returned with their sound systems blurring Sony Okosun’s and Fela Kuti’s beats Our borders were closed!
Xenophobia is simply fear of the other, which would include the whites. The xenophobic terms would as well include umlungu/ibhunu, (white settlers), dubula ibhunu (Kill the Boer), One Settler, one bullet (the historical political slogan). Afrophobia is fear of a specific other (the black other from the north of Limpopo River – a manifestation of distrust and envy towards black foreigners). The South African sees the black foreigners as a threat because they can slip undetected into the black South African community like Soweto.
The South African press has also a penchant now for using dehumanizing language, sensationalising crime against black foreigners, thus downplaying the humanity of victims, and extolling hate-inspired journalism. Most of the newspapers print prejudice, instead of truth.
From Johannesburg to Pretoria or Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, Gauteng, Sandton, Soweto, Crooks Corner, Bela Bela, Stellenbosch (for wine) or even Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskiet you get assailed by such sumptuous meal as Bobotie, chakalaka, boerwors… and these are things that attract the adventurous Ghanaian who will be scammed by the exploitative travel agent to fly to Zimbabwe and sneak surreptitiously into South Africa. But in wait will be Zimbabweans, Nigerians, Congolese, Kenyans, Mozambicans, Somalis – who are framed as criminals (thieves, burglars), drug traffickers and economic saboteurs.
South Africa, the land which we sympathised with for the deaths of hundreds in the “Sharpeville Massacre” and prayed for the abolition of the “Pass Law”, where we mourned the death of Steve Biko and others who were members of “Umkhonto We Sizwe”.
We notice the lop-sided economic relationships between South Africa and Ghana – MTN, Vodacom, Multichoice (DSTv); Mining and Extraction – Anglo Gold, Gold Fields, Newmont; Stanbic, Absa, First National Bank; Shoprite, Woolworths, Protea Hotels from South Africa. From Ghana Churches like International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Action Chapel, Lighthouse Chapel; micro-enterprises – small retail like table-top spaza, salons, fabric clothing and footwear itinerant shops.
Who cause am? While we think of going to heaven, they (South Africans) will research and improve our telecommunications, and while we tend to act selfishly, they will “conglomerate” and form big companies to exploit the system. A joint partnership will collapse, particularly where one engages family members and friends. Corruption will eat away the shared profits like a notable cement distribution company suffered.
Why would anyone in Ghana attack any South African company? And why target MTN or DSTv? Some time ago, in the 1980s, we would go and book a “foreign” call at the Post Office in the morning. We would have to return to the Post Office at midnight to chat with our friends overseas. Now, what happens?
Any time you can chat, you can receive messages instantly. You can even bank using your MTN and other networks. MTN has employed over 2,000 otherwise unemployed graduates (hasn’t MTN soaked up the pressure of unemployment? And you can get mobile money companies in every nook and corner… and doesn’t MTN pay tax to the central government?). Legitimate business.
Are the hoodlums perpetuating violence in South Africa paid by MTN? Two wrongs do not make a right. Captain Smart cannot be our friend for advocating an attack on South African companies in Ghana.
The first batch of Ghanaian evacuees arrived home on 27th May, 2026 (Eid el Mubarak holiday) per Ethiopian Airlines. Thanks to Mahama’s NDC government. It was “welcome”, “akwaaba”, “woezor”, “oobake”, but no “sweetness” here: harrowing stories, all over: young and old, children, toddlers, seizure of stores and other property, a lady was telling Ghanaians “fix your country… we don’t want you here” And 25th May was African Union Day! The AU Chairman, Mahmoud Ali Yousouf’s 63rd address did not contain a word on this Afrophobic attacks in South Africa but for the returnees we will sing with Evi Edna Ogholi released in 1989. “There is no place like home Home sweet home when I go south west east and north I will always come back home”
Let the distraught deportees from South Africa chew on these words from Nelson Mandela in his autobiography.
“Long Walk To Freedom”; “… I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb…”
