The South African government has raised concerns over statements issued by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the killing of a Ghanaian national in Cape Town, insisting that the incident has been misrepresented.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 2, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, said Ghana’s account of events was “factually incorrect” and not supported by police findings.
Ghanaian authorities had earlier stated that a Ghanaian national was fatally wounded on June 30 during anti-immigrant demonstrations linked to ongoing xenophobic attacks.
However, South African authorities rejected this version of events, saying the victim was attacked at his workplace on June 29 in what police suspect to be a criminal incident unrelated to any demonstrations.
According to the Western Cape Police, the deceased was shot at a barbershop in Nyanga, where unknown suspects allegedly entered, demanded money, and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Police said the motive is believed to be extortion-related, and investigations are ongoing.
Minister Kubayi said it was concerning that Ghanaian authorities continued to communicate what she described as inaccurate information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The Ghanaian national who was fatally wounded was attacked at his place of work on Monday, 29 June 2026, in an incident that the police suspect as a criminal act, which is totally not linked to the alleged demonstrations,” she stated.
She further noted that no deaths had been recorded in connection with the demonstrations, adding that the reported incident was being treated as an isolated criminal case under active investigation.
Kubayi also urged that diplomatic matters be handled through official channels and emphasised the importance of accurate communication between both countries.
“We regret all loss of life on our shores and would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and assure them that our law enforcement authorities will investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to book,” she added.
The South African government rejected claims linking the killing to xenophobic violence, describing such narratives as misleading and unhelpful to diplomatic relations.
Police investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
