A 42-year-old Ghanaian hairdresser, Bernice Diana Akuffo, is fighting for her life after a brutal assault in Johannesburg, South Africa, amid a renewed wave of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals.
Ms Akuffo, who has lived in South Africa for over two decades, was reportedly attacked by a group of assailants while going about her daily business.
Family sources say the attackers allegedly ordered her to leave the country before inflicting severe injuries with sharp weapons, leaving her with serious facial wounds. She was later located with the assistance of Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria after her family raised an alarm.
Her son has petitioned Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure her safety and facilitate her evacuation to Ghana.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has assured affected citizens of government’s commitment to their protection and ongoing repatriation efforts.
Broader crisis and repatriation response
The attack comes at a time of heightened tension in parts of South Africa, where sporadic violence and protests against undocumented migrants have intensified fears among African immigrant communities, including Ghanaians.
In several cities, groups campaigning for stricter immigration controls have staged demonstrations accusing foreign nationals of putting pressure on public services. Although authorities have moved to contain unrest, reports of intimidation and targeted attacks have fuelled anxiety within migrant communities.
As a result, growing numbers of Ghanaians are opting to return home voluntarily under government-arranged evacuation and repatriation programmes. According to officials, hundreds of citizens -800 so far- have registered for assisted return, with the first batch of 300 already being flown back to Ghana on chartered flights.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the repatriation exercise is being carried out in phases, with returnees undergoing screening before departure. Government has also outlined support measures for evacuees, including transportation assistance, reintegration support, psychosocial care, and access to a database linking returnees to job opportunities and start-up programmes.
Officials say the decision to accept repatriation has been driven largely by safety concerns, uncertainty over escalating tensions, and fears of further attacks on African migrants.
While some community leaders in South Africa argue that the situation has been overstated, affected migrants insist the environment has become increasingly unsafe, prompting difficult decisions to leave long-term livelihoods behind.
For many returnees, the repatriation marks not only a response to immediate danger but also the beginning of reintegration challenges back in Ghana, where authorities say systems are being put in place to support their resettlement.
