Ghana-South Africa presidential meeting halted over migrant tensions

Ghana on Tuesday said a visit between President John Mahama and counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa had been postponed amid anti-immigrant violence in South Africa.

Accra and Pretoria have been at diplomatic loggerheads over a wave of protests, some of them violent, against foreigners in South Africa, where Ramaphosa is president.

A meeting of the two leaders in Ghana slated for August has been postponed, Ghanaian communications minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu told radio broadcaster Joy FM, saying Accra was worried the ongoing protests would disrupt the planned agenda.

In a further round of diplomatic confusion, however, the countries disputed the exact nature of the event and why it was cancelled.

Accra described it Tuesday as a “state visit”.

But citing an April letter from Ghana’s own high commission, Pretoria said the Ghanaians were referring to an “official visit” to co-chair a session of the binational commission on cooperation between the two nations.

“We sent a diplomatic communication to the South African government that we believe it is best to defer their visit,” Kwakye Ofosu said.

“We value the relationship we have with South Africa,” he added, but said that recent violence in the country was liable to “overshadow” the meeting’s priorities.

A spokesman for Ramaphosa’s office said that Ghana requested the binational commission meeting to be postponed — but said the South African side wasn’t given a clear reason.

For weeks South Africa has been the site of protests against undocumented immigrants blamed for taking jobs and resources.

Those with documents have also been targeted as citizens take measures into their own hands over pressing social problems that analysts say are largely due to government failures to provide services.

Thousands have been leaving the country as a result.

“Our relations remain cordial,” Kwakye Ofosu said, while reiterating criticism that “the South African government could have done more” to ensure the safety of foreigners”.

A spokesman for Ramaphosa’s office told AFP: “We don’t believe there should be any tension whatsoever with Ghana”, while also accusing the Ghanaian foreign ministry of “anti-South African rhetoric”.