Written by: Mohammed Omran
The diplomatic tension between South Africa And Ghana, following the killing of a Ghanaian citizen in Cape Town, amid a clear conflict in narratives regarding the circumstances of the incident, as the Ghanaian government linked the incident to a wave of anti-immigrant protests, while South African authorities categorically denied this, confirming that the crime occurred before the protests and is related to a criminal extortion case.
Will the killing of a Ghanaian citizen ignite a crisis between South Africa and Ghana?
The crisis began after the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the killing of Ghanaian citizen Bashiru Issahak (40 years old), confirming that he was shot in the Khayelitsha area of Cape Town on June 30 during anti-immigrant protests. It described the incident as an extension of xenophobic attacks targeting citizens of African countries within South Africa.
Accra expressed its “deep shock and sadness” over the incident, calling on South African authorities to conduct a swift and transparent investigation that leads to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, while strengthening the protection of Ghanaians and other foreign nationals residing in areas experiencing tensions.
The Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also revealed that its High Commission in Pretoria lodged a formal protest with the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. The police were informed of the incident after the victim's identity was confirmed and his family was notified. The ministry indicated that an autopsy was performed at the request of the Ghanaian government, and efforts are underway to repatriate the body to Ghana for burial.
The ministry confirmed that it had also lodged a complaint with the African Union Commission regarding the repeated xenophobic attacks in South Africa, calling for the issue to be placed on the agenda of the Commission's next legal meeting.
South Africa denies the Ghanaian narrative
In contrast, the South African police and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, Mmola Kubayi, denied the veracity of the Ghanaian narrative, emphasizing that linking the Ghanaian citizen's murder to the protests is “factually incorrect.”.
The police clarified that the deceased whose case is being investigated is Kwabena Bawuah (35), who died on June 29 in the Nyanga area of Cape Town, one day before the anti-immigrant demonstrations began.
According to police investigations, the shooting occurred around 3:45 PM in front of a barber shop and shoe repair store. Initial information suggests the crime is related to criminal extortion operations, not to any acts of violence associated with immigrants.
Police confirmed that ambulance teams pronounced the victim dead at the scene, while Nyanga investigators have opened a murder case and investigations are ongoing, with no suspects arrested so far.
As the police clarified that they had contacted a relative of the victim and offered condolences, while health authorities conducted an official autopsy of the body.
Dispute over the victim's identity
The crisis was further complicated when South African police confirmed they had no record of a person with the name announced by the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs being killed in the Khayelitsha area, demanding that Ghanaian authorities provide them with the information and data they are basing their claims on in order to assist in the investigation.
This discrepancy raised questions about whether the two countries were referring to different individuals, or if there was a difference in the victim's data and the time and location of the incident.
Accusations of spreading misinformation
The South African Minister of Justice accused Ghanaian authorities of spreading misinformation regarding the case's developments, considering that the continued talk of a Ghanaian citizen being killed during the protests perpetuates a “false narrative” portraying South Africa as a xenophobic country.
Kobay said that the authorities had not recorded any deaths related to the anti-immigration demonstrations, and that separate criminal incidents that occurred during that period were being handled independently by law enforcement agencies.
She added that any diplomatic disputes or concerns must be discussed through official channels between the two countries, while emphasizing that the government regrets any casualties on its territory and that investigations are ongoing to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable.
Protests increase tension
This crisis comes at a time when several regions in South Africa are witnessing protests demanding stricter immigration measures and the deportation of irregular immigrants. These protests have brought to the forefront concerns about the resurgence of xenophobic violence the country has experienced in recent years.
Despite the South African government's denial of any connection between those protests and the murder, Ghana insists on the need for an independent and swift investigation, while the crisis appears likely to escalate diplomatically until the results of the official investigations become clear.
