Ghana Demands Investigation After Migrant’s Death During South Africa Protest

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs ministry has lodged a formal protest after reports that Bashiru Isak, a 40‑year‑old Ghanaian tailor living in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township, was shot dead on Tuesday during anti‑migrant rallies. In a statement, the ministry said it was “profoundly shocked” by the killing and called on South Africa to conduct a transparent investigation and bring the responsible parties to justice.

South Africa’s justice minister expressed concern that Ghanaian authorities were “communicating false information” about the situation. The police confirmed that they had no record of a murder in Khayelitsha but are investigating a related shooting of 35‑year‑old Ghanaian Kwabena Boagen in a different township. They have said the case is being handled under standard protocols and that arrests have not yet been made.

In the days after the protests, South Africa banned all undocumented foreigners from staying beyond a set deadline, prompting tens of thousands of migrants from Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria to leave the country. The police noted that the Tuesday marches were largely peaceful, but about 900 people were detained for immigration‑related offences and looting.

Ghana’s statement demanded a “full, transparent and expedited investigation” and urged South Africa to uphold its international obligations to safeguard the rights of foreign nationals on its territory. The ministry also advised Ghanaians who chose to remain in South Africa to remain vigilant and avoid high‑risk areas.

The incident underscores growing anti‑migrant sentiment in South Africa amid a high unemployment rate that has spurred many to seek work abroad. It also highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions as Ghana pushes for accountability in what it views as a politically motivated killing during a period of heightened scrutiny over immigration policies.