South Africa disputes Ghana's claim on killing of Ghanaian during protest

The South African government has refuted Ghana's account of the killing of a Ghanaian national in Cape Town, insisting that the incident was a criminal attack and not connected to anti-immigrant protests as earlier suggested.

In a statement issued on Thursday, July 2, 2026, South Africa's Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, said information released by Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not align with findings from police investigations.

Government confirms death of Ghanaian in South African xenophobic attacks

According to the minister, the victim was attacked at his workplace on June 29, 2026, after armed men allegedly stormed a barbershop in Nyanga, demanded money and shot him before fleeing.

Police believe the incident is linked to extortion rather than xenophobic violence, with investigations still underway.

“The Ghanaian national who was fatally wounded was attacked at his place of work on Monday, 29th June, 2026, in an incident that the police suspect as a criminal act, which is totally not linked to the alleged demonstrations,” she stated.

Kubayi also called for diplomatic issues to be handled through official channels and cautioned against the circulation of inaccurate information.

“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 further maintained that no deaths were recorded during the recent demonstrations and rejected claims linking the Ghanaian's death to xenophobic attacks, stressing that the case remains under active police investigation.

NA/VPO