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 the Ghanaian account of events was “factually incorrect” and not supported by police findings.
Ghana’s authorities had earlier indicated that a Ghanaian national was fatally wounded on June 30 during anti-immigrant demonstrations linked to ongoing xenophobic attacks.
However, the South African government rejected this version of events, stating that 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 reportedly entered, demanded money, and shot him before fleeing the scene.
Police added that the motive is believed to be extortion-related, and investigations are ongoing to track down the suspects.
Minister Kubayi said it was concerning that Ghanaian authorities continued to communicate what she described as inaccurate information about developments in South Africa.
“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 fatalities had been recorded during the period of the demonstrations, adding that isolated criminal incidents were being handled by law enforcement.
Kubayi also urged that diplomatic matters be handled through official channels, stressing the need for 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 also rejected suggestions that the incident reflects xenophobic violence, insisting that the spread of what it called false narratives is unacceptable and does not reflect the country’s position.
Police investigations into the killing are ongoing.
