South Africa has accused Ghana of creating an unfavorable business environment for its companies and dismissed allegations of attacks on Ghanaian nationals, deepening a diplomatic dispute between two of Africa’s largest economies. The two largest gold-producing nations.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said threats of punitive measures against South African companies operating in Ghana would not be justified by recent tensions surrounding Ghanaian migrants in South Africa, arguing that commercial challenges facing those firms predated the current controversy.
“The truth is, mere months into the new Ghanaian administration, the operating conditions for a number of South African companies had already been made untenable,” Lamola said in a post on X responding to remarks by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in an interview on Joy News. Lamola said he had previously written to Ghanaian authorities raising concerns about the business climate and was prepared to make the correspondence public if its existence was disputed.
The latest exchange marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Pretoria and Accra following reports of attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa and concerns raised by Ghana over the treatment of its citizens.
Lamola rejected claims that Nigerian nationals had been killed during the recent incidents, describing the allegation as unsupported by available evidence.
“No Nigerian national has been killed during the current waves of attacks in South Africa,” he said.
The minister also disputed reports that five Mozambican nationals had been killed. He noted that the South African police were investigating the deaths of two Mozambicans and pledged that authorities would pursue accountability and justice. Pretoria has cooperated with Mozambican officials to facilitate repatriation efforts, he added.
Lamola further questioned claims that 15 Ghanaian nationals were hospitalized as a result of the violence. Lamola said his government had received no official information from Ghana’s diplomatic mission regarding such cases.
“It is therefore deeply strange that we are hearing for the first time through this interview that 15 Ghanaians are currently hospitalized,” he said. The dispute has increasingly focused on migration and the status of Ghanaian nationals living in South Africa.
Lamola defended the South African government’s handling of a May 27 repatriation flight that carried approximately 300 people to Ghana. According to South African authorities, 25 of the passengers came from a deportation facility, while the remaining travelers were assisted by Ghana’s High Commission.
South African immigration officials found that roughly 90% of the passengers lacked valid documentation, Lamola said. As a result, Ghana’s embassy issued emergency travel certificates to facilitate their return. Authorities also found that many had overstayed their visas, some by more than a year, according to the post.
Lamola warned that Pretoria would strongly contest any legal action brought by Ghana over the treatment of its citizens.
“Let there be no misunderstanding: we will vigorously defend any frivolous or baseless lawsuit emanating from Ghana against South Africa,” he said.
Despite the increasingly public disagreement, Lamola said South Africa remained committed to regional integration and dialogue through bilateral channels, the African Union, and other multilateral institutions.
He reiterated that violence against migrants was incompatible with South Africa’s constitutional principles and said the government remained committed to protecting individuals regardless of nationality.
The diplomatic friction comes at a sensitive time for African economic integration efforts, with both Ghana and South Africa playing prominent roles in regional trade initiatives and cross-border investment flows. The dispute also raises concerns for businesses operating between the two countries, particularly South African firms with significant investments in Ghana’s retail, telecommunications, financial services, and hospitality sectors.
For now, Pretoria has signaled it is prepared to defend its position publicly while keeping diplomatic channels open, setting the stage for further engagement between the two governments over migration, business relations, and regional cooperation.
