‘South Africa Must Go’ — Ghanaians erupt in protest against xenophobia, call for removal of South Africans

• Some Ghanaian youths under the banner of the “South Africa Must Go” campaign staged a peaceful protest in Accra to demand that South African companies in the country be shut down.

• The demonstrators carried placards reading “Ghanaian lives matter” and converged on the corporate premises of these businesses.

• This development comes after deadly xenophobic attacks in South Africa prompted countries like Ghana and Nigeria to begin evacuating their citizens.

• The first batch of Nigerian returnees arrived safely on Thursday and was received by government officials, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.

Tensions have dramatically escalated across the Ghanaian capital after waves of local youths launched a "South Africa Must Go" campaign, taking to the streets on Thursday to demand the immediate shutdown of all South African companies operating within the country. The mass demonstration follows a surge of deadly xenophobic attacks in South Africa that have targeted foreign nationals, sparking widespread outrage across the continent.

In a viral footage on social media, demonstrators could be seen marching through the streets of Accra, chanting slogans and carrying placards with messages such as “Ghanaian lives matter”. The angered crowd eventually converged on the corporate premises of South African businesses, declaring that they have had "enough" of the violence perpetrated against Ghanaian residents living in South Africa.

The protest marks a significant flashpoint in a geopolitical crisis that has been building for several weeks. The situation in South Africa has grown volatile enough to prompt multiple African nations, including Ghana and Nigeria, to initiate emergency evacuation procedures to bring their citizens home safely.

As regional anger mounts, evacuation efforts elsewhere are already yielding tangible results. In Nigeria, the first official batch of evacuated returnees arrived safely back in the country on Thursday. The citizens were received at the airport by high-level government dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.

RELATED: Ghana offers free evacuation of citizens from South Africa after FG said Nigerians must pay to return home

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With the "South Africa Must Go" movement gaining rapid traction on Accra's streets, local authorities face the delicate task of maintaining public order and protecting corporate properties. At the same time, regional leaders are being pressured to hold South African authorities accountable for the safety of foreign nationals. As the demonstrations grow, many fear that commercial relations between West Africa and South Africa could face long-term damage unless the underlying xenophobic violence is decisively addressed.