It was a busy and emotional night for some Ghanaians in South Africa as several buses arrived to transport the first group of 300 citizens set to leave the country on chartered flights under the voluntary repatriation exercise.
Several videos sighted by GhanaWeb showed many Ghanaians arriving at the O.R. Tambo International Airport on the night of May 26, 2026, in anticipation of their return to Ghana.
Manasseh praises Ablakwa and South Africa evacuation
The repatriation exercise follows growing xenophobic attacks against African nationals by some locals in South Africa.
One of the videos showed the evacuees expressing excitement and relief as they queued to board buses ahead of their departure.
A woman who was giving commentary in one of the videos explained that the buses were transporting the evacuees to a hotel arranged by the Ghana High Commission in South Africa, where they would spend the night before departing the next morning.
She also praised the government for the intervention and for facilitating their evacuation from the country.
Here is when first batch of Ghanaians will be airlifted from South Africa
According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the evacuees are expected to arrive in Ghana on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
Watch some of the videos below:
Ghanaians who were processed for repatriation have arrived at OR Tambo International Airport. They will leave South Africa this morning. They took a decision to leave South Africa due to the growing anti Immigrant sentiment in the country. Credits: Ditaba Tsotetsi pic.twitter.com/EEfWcgbDiz
— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 27, 2026
Current situation at the Ghana High Commission in South Africa:
— π Ghana π¬π (@xghana_) May 26, 2026
-Buses have arrived to move the first batch of Ghanaians to the airport, as they are expected to arrive in Accra today pic.twitter.com/N7DBOts1ll
Pretoria, South Africa πΏπ¦ first group of 300 Ghanaians ready to depart South Africa πΏπ¦ tomorrow , May 27, via chartered flights as part of the voluntary repatriation. Welcome home in advance. pic.twitter.com/6YkFreq7Q2
— Aristotlektv (@aristotledada) May 26, 2026
MAG/EB
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