A fresh diplomatic spat has erupted between Ghana and South Africa in connection with the killing of a migrant in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township earlier this week.
The South African government on Thursday said the death was not linked to the anti-immigrant protests held in the country earlier this week.
The statement came after Ghana’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said its national Bashiru Isak, 40, was shot and killed during the demonstrations.
Ghana said it had formally registered its protest to Pretoria.
In its statement, Accra also condemned what it said was the “rising tide of xenophobia targeting African nationals, including Ghanaians, in South Africa.”
What did South Africa say about Ghana’s accusation?
The South African government dismissed Ghana’s claim on the killing as “factually incorrect” and “not based on fact.”
It said “no fatalities” were recorded on the protest day which saw thousands take to the streets across parts of the country.
“It is concerning that Ghanaian authorities continue to communicate false information about South Africa regarding developments on irregular migration,” South African Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi was quoted in a statement as saying.
“The spread of false information to perpetuate the false narrative that South Africa is xenophobic is unacceptable,” she said.
South African authorities suspect the killing could have been “extortion-related.”
Police told the French AFP news agency that a 35-year-old Ghanaian with a different name from that given by Ghana’s government was shot at a barbershop on Monday, not Tuesday as claimed by Accra.
Ghana’s Foreign Ministry, however, said it was standing by its statement.
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What were the anti-migrant protests in South Africa about?
South Africa has witnessed weeks of unrest over the issue of illegal migration, including attacks on migrant-owned businesses.
Anti-migrant groups had set June 30 as a deadline for all undocumented immigrants to leave the country.
Marches and demonstrations took place earlier this week in major cities across the country, with the main demonstration held in Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province.
While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, there were also some instances of looting and attempted looting.
In the runup to June 30, thousands of African migrants had already left or been repatriated from South Africa.
Rising tensions over migration
South Africa is one of Africa’s largest economies and a nation of some 65.5 million people.
The country has long attracted migrants seeking work.
Estimates put foreign-born residents at between 2.4 to 3.1 million.
But unemployment in South Africa remains among the highest in the world, with about a third of people out of work and deep inequality fueling public anger.
Some activists blame migrants for crime and pressure on public services, though rights groups warn such claims risk inflaming tensions.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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