The South African government has rejected claims by Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that a Ghanaian national who was fatally shot in the country was killed during anti-immigrant demonstrations.

In a statement issued on Thursday, 2 July, South Africa's Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, expressed concern over what she described as inaccurate information contained in Ghana's statement issued on 1 July. 

According to the South African government, Ghana's statement claimed that a Ghanaian national was fatally wounded on Monday, 30 June 2026, during anti-immigrant demonstrations linked to ongoing xenophobic attacks.

The South African government said the claim was factually incorrect, stating that the demonstrations took place on Tuesday, 30 June, while the Ghanaian national was shot on Monday, 29 June, at his workplace in Nyanga.

It said information from the Western Cape Police indicated that Nyanga Police had opened a murder investigation following the fatal shooting of a 35-year-old man at a barbershop on Emms Drive.

According to the police, unknown suspects entered the barbershop, demanded money from the victim and shot him before fleeing the scene. The motive for the attack is believed to be linked to extortion.

Police have appealed to members of the public with information about the incident to assist with the investigation.

Minister Kubayi said it was concerning that the Ghanaian authorities had continued to communicate what she described as false information about developments relating to irregular migration in South Africa.

She maintained that no fatalities were recorded during the anti-irregular migration demonstrations and that isolated criminal incidents reported on the day had been dealt with by law enforcement agencies.

The Minister also called for diplomatic concerns between African countries to be communicated through established diplomatic channels.

She conveyed the South African government's condolences to the family of the deceased and said law enforcement authorities would investigate the case and bring those responsible to justice.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration further stated that it rejected what it described as the spread of false information portraying South Africa as a xenophobic country.

Source: Classfmonline