Senior Ghanaian miners in South Africa seek evacuation amid rising xenophobic tensions — High Commissioner

Senior Ghanaian professionals working in South Africa’s mining sector have expressed interest in being included in Ghana’s ongoing evacuation exercise due to rising concerns over xenophobic tensions, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has disclosed.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, May 28, Mr Quashie said the affected workers, many of whom are senior citizens occupying strategic roles in the mining industry, had reached out through their leadership to request repatriation assistance.

According to him, the group has lived and worked in South Africa for many years, contributing significantly to the mining sector, but now feels increasingly vulnerable following renewed threats linked to xenophobic sentiments.

He explained that the miners cited warnings from their employers that authorities could not guarantee their protection ahead of a planned demonstration scheduled for June 30, during which foreign nationals may be at heightened risk.

“A group of senior citizens and senior staffers of some of the mines in South Africa, who are Ghanaians working there, have just been told by their executives that they also want to leave and go back to Ghana. So that they can go and help in the mining sector,” he said.

“They are very senior citizens, they are holding very good positions here in most of the mines here and so they have also decided to go home and apply their trade in Ghana,” he added.

He further noted that the workers, despite their long service, feel their contributions have not been adequately recognised, describing their situation as one marked by deep concern and uncertainty.

“They have indicated that they have given their all to these South African companies, but they feel that they have not been protective enough. Especially, their bosses have told them that they should not come to work on 30th June because they cannot guarantee their safety when they come to work,” he said.

The High Commissioner’s remarks come amid Ghana’s ongoing evacuation exercise, which has already seen three hundred citizens repatriated following reports of xenophobic attacks and escalating insecurity targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)