Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, has firmly dismissed viral reports alleging that Ghanaians have been killed in ongoing xenophobic attacks, stressing that no such deaths have been recorded.
According to him, despite rising tensions and widespread online claims, official data available to the Ghanaian mission does not support the narrative.
“So the current xenophobic actions that are going on, nobody has lost their lives,” he stated, adding, “The statistics are there; they’ve given it to us.”
Addressing a widely circulated case involving a Ghanaian man reportedly killed in East London, Mr Quarshie explained that investigations revealed the incident was unrelated to xenophobia.
He stated on PM express that the victim was stabbed to death by armed robbers in an attack that occurred three weeks earlier, only coming to the attention of authorities much later.
He disclosed that Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister has since directed that a full investigation be conducted, halting plans for a mass burial until the circumstances surrounding the death are fully established. The mission has also contacted the deceased’s family in Ghana, describing the case as particularly distressing, as the victim was the family’s breadwinner.
While condemning the killing as “really, really pathetic,” Mr Quarshie cautioned against linking it to xenophobic violence. He, however, assured that Ghana’s diplomatic mission will pursue accountability and justice, signalling a renewed commitment to ensuring that such incidents are not overlooked.
“We will account for every single individual… until justice is done, we will not stop,” he affirmed.
