Ghana's High Commission in South Africa temporarily suspended new registration for its voluntary evacuation exercise on June 2, 2026, after more than 1,500 Ghanaians signed up. The pause is meant to let the mission verify and process the existing backlog rather than to end the exercise; the High Commission says the next registration window will be communicated in due course. South Africa's Department of Home Affairs is screening the existing applicants in collaboration with Accra. A second batch of evacuees has already been scheduled to fly on June 6, 2026.
What was paused and why
Ghana's High Commission in South Africa announced on June 1 that new registration for the voluntary repatriation exercise would be suspended from June 2. The reason given was the volume — more than 1,500 Ghanaians had already registered — and the need to verify and process applications before opening fresh slots.
Not the end of the exercise
The High Commission was explicit that the exercise has not ended. Ghanaians who have not yet registered were told the next registration window will be communicated; the suspension is a backlog measure, not a closure.
South African screening in parallel
South Africa's Department of Home Affairs is screening the existing applicants in collaboration with Ghana's mission. The High Commission framed the joint screening as the bottleneck that the pause was designed to clear.
Second batch already scheduled
An official list of evacuees scheduled to fly on Saturday, June 6, 2026 has been published. Hundreds of Ghanaians are on the second batch, with travel logistics being finalised with the High Commission.
Context — xenophobic violence
The exercise unfolds against documented xenophobic attacks on African nationals in South Africa, which Human Rights Watch flagged in April-May 2026 (see NSEM's earlier report on the Ghanaian woman in ICU). The pause attracted public criticism from registrants worried about safety during the wait.
Mentioned in this story
Announced the registration suspension on June 1, 2026; coordinating the voluntary repatriation.
Publicly addressed delays in the second-batch evacuation.
Screening the existing evacuation applicants in collaboration with Ghana's mission.
Hundreds of Ghanaians named on the official list for that travel date.
Documented a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks across South Africa in April-May 2026.