South Africa warned Ghana against creating public spectacles during the ongoing evacuation of Ghanaian nationals fleeing intense anti-immigrant tensions.
The diplomatic friction spiked after Ghana organized repatriation flights for hundreds of citizens targeted by recent South African xenophobic violence.
Ghana’s embassy fueled the dispute by publishing footage of departing evacuees waving national flags from inside a repatriation aircraft.
South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola publicly criticized the narrative on social media, accusing Ghana of abandoning traditional diplomatic decorum.
Lamola stated that South Africa would no longer tolerate public displays characterized by incomplete information and outright misinformation regarding the crisis.
South Africa remains a major economic destination for continental migrants, yet it grapples with a severe unemployment rate exceeding 30 percent.
This economic strain has sparked repeated waves of violent, anti-foreigner protests across various communities over the last several weeks.
The latest diplomatic escalation follows widespread social media outrage over a viral video depicting the assault of a Ghanaian man.