Former South African President Jacob Zuma has arrived in Ghana, making a significant courtesy visit to the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, at his palace in Accra.

The visit, which took place today (August 18), was a highlight of the ongoing Homowo festival, creating a vibrant blend of diplomatic courtesy and cultural celebration.

Mr. Zuma’s presence added a unique international dimension to the annual festival, which sees the Ga people of Accra hooting at hunger to commemorate a past famine and celebrate the harvest. 

The former president was received with traditional pomp and pageantry, including libation, reflecting the deep historical and cultural ties between Ghana and South Africa.

Ghana was a critical haven for South African anti-apartheid activists, a history that Zuma’s visit serves to honour.

The meeting with the Ga Mantse was seen as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and brotherhood.

The visit underscores the importance of traditional institutions in fostering international relations.

Mr. Zuma's visit to Ghana is part of a broader tour following his increased political profile in South Africa, where his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has become a significant force.

His stop in Ghana provided an opportunity to connect with a nation that has long been a beacon of liberation and a home to many of his comrades during the apartheid era.

The Homowo celebrations, which are at their peak, continue throughout Accra with the sprinkling of kpoikpoi, a traditional meal, in various Ga communities.