The government will on Friday, July 25, 2026, commence another batch of evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, following the registration of close to 900 citizens who have voluntarily expressed interest in returning home, Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie has announced.

In a video broadcast from Pretoria, South Africa on Tuesday (July 14, 2026), the High Commission said the new exercise follows the earlier successful repatriation of some Ghanaians following xenophobic attacks, which have left many stranded in churches, hotels and staying with friends and relatives across South Africa.

"As a government that cares, the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instituted us into having an evacuation for Ghanaians who voluntarily want to go home. We have almost 926 that have gone home.

I'm here to announce that the Ministry has provided, through the Office of the President, support for us to be able to also do another repatriation of close to 900 Ghanaians who are voluntarily giving their names here in South Africa that they want to go," he said.

Final phase of mass evacuation

The High Commissioner said the Department of Home Affairs and Border Management Authorities have approved July 25 for the exercise to begin.

"The modalities will be the same as the modalities of the previous three repatriations that we've had, and so we'll be coming to the churches, we'll be speaking to you, we'll be going to the hotels, and we want us all to do this in a very coordinated way.

"Let me repeat, the date is that we'll start the repatriation of the 900 that have been left here on the 25th of this month (July). We'll come to the various places where you are lodged, we'll transport some of you from all the provinces to come down," he stated.

He stressed that only those already registered and screened would be evacuated. "We are not doing new registrations yet. We are going according to those who have been registered and screened. If you know that you've not been registered or you've not been screened, we don't want you to make it look as if we are the bad ones," Mr Quashie cautioned.

He indicated that flights will depart daily from July 25 until all 900 registered persons are repatriated. Groups will be notified in advance on schedules for morning and afternoon departures.

End of mass repatriation

Mr Quashie affirmed that the July exercise would mark the end of the government-sponsored mass evacuation.

"These are people that we know genuinely; they want to go home. Genuinely, they have issues. Genuinely, they have challenges. The government, through the benevolence of the President, and also our Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, now is the time for us to take the 900 back home. When we do this 900, let me inform all of us that that will be the number at which we're done with the repatriation. It will then be on a case-by-case basis through consular services."

He urged Ghanaians not to travel to the High Commission unannounced with luggage, expecting accommodation.

"Do not come from the provinces with your bags packed and coming to the High Commission that you need accommodation, you need this, you need that. Let's follow the procedure. Let's follow what we have indicated will be the protocols, so that we can have a very, very smooth repatriation," he added.