Ghanaian Children in South Africa Tell of Daily Bullying and Xenophobic Abuse as Family Awaits Evacuation Flight

Three Ghanaian children living in South Africa have opened up about the daily torment they face at school, sharing painful stories of bullying, name-calling and discrimination rooted in anti-immigrant sentiment that has gripped parts of the country in recent months.

An 11-year-old boy said his classmates regularly taunt him because of his Ghanaian heritage. "Sometimes they tell me I am ugly and a foreigner. There are times they call me names. I choose to be a Ghanaian. I want to come to Ghana. They just bully us every day," he said. His six-year-old sister described an even more distressing situation, alleging that her own teacher refers to her using the derogatory term makwerekwere — a slur widely directed at foreign nationals in South Africa — and encourages classmates to tease her. "When my father comes over, she acts as if nothing happened… I don't want to stay here, I want to come back to Ghana, my country," the child said. Their seven-year-old brother added that his food is kicked away by classmates who also mock his appearance and threaten to have him expelled from the school.

The children's father, Isaac Owusu, said the sustained hostility has left his family deeply traumatised. His children have reportedly not attended school for roughly a month due to safety fears. Mr Owusu said his family is ready to board the next evacuation flight being organised by the Ghanaian government, particularly in light of a widely reported June 30 ultimatum allegedly issued by some South Africans demanding that foreign nationals leave the country.

"I went to the High Commission last week and was told that there will be a flight next week, though I was not told the day," Mr Owusu said. He took the opportunity to appeal directly to President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to show compassion towards Ghanaians caught up in the unrest. "We are facing a very big challenge," he added.

The government of Ghana has been ramping up its evacuation efforts since xenophobic violence resurged in South Africa. Key milestones in the operation so far include:

• A first evacuation flight landed in Accra on 27 May, carrying 300 returnees.
• A second flight on 6 June brought back a further 345 Ghanaian nationals.
• More than 987 Ghanaians have been evacuated in total since the latest wave of violence began.

Authorities have confirmed that additional flights will be arranged for citizens who have already registered to return home. The Ghanaian government has urged nationals remaining in South Africa to stay calm, stay safe, and to liaise with the High Commission in Pretoria for the latest updates on evacuation arrangements.