A ranking member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs has called on the African Union to intervene in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the attacks pose a great challenge to the security and economic advancement of the continent.

The MP for North Tongu told Joy News the close to 30,000 Ghanaians living in the southern African country are currently not safe.

Many Black non-South Africans working in Pretoria will be on high alert as preparations are underway for a demonstration to express opposition to their presence and activities in the country.

Okudzeto Ablakwa

Mr. Ablakwa suspects the demonstrations could degenerate into attacks on Ghanaian nationals and other West Africans in the country.

“Our immediate concern has to do with this march that the South African authorities have not been able to call off. At this point the AU would have to take a serious view of this matter and assist the South African authorities to really nip this in the bud,” he told Joy News.

He was, however, confident arrangements put in place by Ghana’s mission in the country would forestall attacks on Ghanaians.

“So far the arrangements that have been put in place appear quite adequate. They [Ghana’s mission in SA] have put out a hotline and they are in touch with the Ghanaian associations in various regions of that country,” the MP said.

In 2015, 7 people died in riots and looting of businesses run by foreigners in Johannesburg and in Durban.

South Africa suffered the most deadly wave of xenophobic violence in 2008 that left 62 people dead.