The South African Mission in Ghana says the country is safe for travel as it encourages Ghanaians to take advantage of the visa-waiver agreement that is soon to come into full force.

According to the Deputy South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Thando Dalmba, although the country has experienced some xenophobic attacks, the police were working hard to ensure that there was no re-occurrence of such events.

“In our minds, this thing is going to happen [visa-waiver agreement] and our police together with the Ghanaian authorities will make it a point that the pastor is fine. South Africa is safe but like in any other country when you visit, you take precautionary measures,” he told JoyNews on Thursday.

His comments come on the back of many xenophobic attacks that have occurred in the past and the recent attack and kidnapping of a Ghanaian pastor barely a week ago. The Church of Pentecost deacon has since been set free.

However, he insisted that the country was fine and advised that potential travelers take precautionary measures to ensure their utmost safety.

Highlighting some of these, he said criminals take advantage of situations, just as in any other country. "But we would like to appeal to Ghanaians that when they go to South Africa, they must really take precautionary measures not to travel alone but to travel in groups. I think it should be safer in that way.”

Touching on the visa waiver agreement, he explained that it was part of the plans of the African Union (AU) to make it easier for Africans to travel to other parts of the continent.

“I think other African leaders will follow soon but it is within the AU agenda to have a borderless continent,” he added.

He said the waiver agreement was open to all Ghanaians who possess a valid passport with not less than six months to expiry, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate.