South Africa’s Julius Malema criticises Ghana’s evacuation of citizens was ‘unnecessary’

• Julius Malema has criticised Ghana’s evacuation of citizens from South Africa, calling the move “unnecessary” and “too quick”.

• The EFF leader argued that only a small group was responsible for the xenophobic attacks and urged diplomatic engagement instead.

• Ghana recently evacuated its first batch of 300 citizens from South Africa following weeks of tensions and attacks targeting foreign nationals.

According to Mr Malema, the Ghanaian government should have pursued a more diplomatic approach, arguing that only a small section of South Africans was involved in the attacks targeting foreign nationals.

Reacting to the situation during an interview, the EFF leader called for calm and restraint while authorities work to address the tensions.

“The Ghana response was not necessary because it now creates an impression that we are all like that, when it is a certain section of our society that needs to be contained by law enforcement,” he stated.

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He further argued that Ghana moved too quickly to begin the evacuation exercise.

“So we think it was too quick. We will still resolve this, and the President of Ghana should have given us some time to really deal with this matter and we will get to the bottom of it,” he added.

Mr Malema acknowledged that the issue remained highly emotional but insisted that the actions of a few individuals should not define the entire country.

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“We don't think Ghana responded in a manner that really reinforces dialogue and diplomatic engagement. It actually creates a very bad and extreme situation. It is a selected few, and we are persuading government to act against those few,” he said.

The Ghanaian government launched an emergency evacuation exercise after weeks of growing xenophobic tensions and attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.

The first batch of 300 evacuees arrived at the Accra International Airport on May 27, 2026.

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Among the returnees were 26 individuals who had previously been detained in South African prisons for visa-related offences and were later released following diplomatic engagement between both countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced a reintegration package for returnees, including transportation, temporary accommodation, counselling, financial support, and access to employment opportunities.

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More than 800 Ghanaians have reportedly registered for voluntary evacuation, with additional flights expected in the coming days.