No Ghanaian killed in xenophobic attacks - authorities
Ghanaian and South African authorities have explained that no Ghanaian has died as a result of the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals resident in South Africa.
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According to them, all five Ghanaians who have been reported dead, died from circumstances which were unrelated to the xenophobic attacks.
Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi told Graphiconline on Monday that the four family members reported dead in Heibron, a town in the Free State Province died as a result of inhaling smoke from a power generator.
They were said to have left the generator running in the salon, which doubles as their residence.
With regard to the other Ghanaian, Emmanuel Quarcoo who died last week, the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Lulama Xingwana told a press conference in Accra on Monday that he died from natural causes.
She said Quarcoo was epileptic and that the postmortem results explained natural causes for his death. Quarcoo died in Durban.
Xingwana condemned the xenophobic attacks and said the South African government has rolled out additional security measures to deal with the attacks.
She said over 300 arrests have been made and that these activities were being orchestrated by “criminal elements.”
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A 24-hour call centre has been activated for people to call in for assistance, she said.
Security at High Commission in Accra
Xingwana explained that they had to beef up security at the South Africa High Commission in Accra because they received threats from unknown persons that they were going to attack them in retaliation to what was happening in South Africa.
She said they were not leaving anything to chance so the security officials in Ghana have been contacted.
Plans to boycott South African businesses in Ghana
Meanwhile a security expert, Dr Kwesi Enning has raised red flags over plans to boycott South African businesses and products on the Ghanaian market.
The movement for Economic and Social Justice is spearheading the campaign following the wave of attacks on black immigrants in South Africa.
The mobilizing secretary for the movement, Lawrence Lamptey told Accra based radio station, Starr FM that the campaign was to mount pressure on the South African government to stop the wave of attacks.
10 confirmed dead in xenophobic attacks
A total of 10 people have so far been confirmed dead in xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Foreign-owned shops in South Africa were last Wednesday attacked and looted in east Johannesburg in the latest string of xenophobic attacks.
The violence continued last Thursday in spite of its condemnation by the South African President, Mr Jacob Zuma.
According to reports, about 200 foreigners sought refuge at a local police station after a crowd began looting foreign-owned shops in East Johannesburg in the night.
South Africa is home to migrants, especially those from other African states and Asia. Many South Africans have accused the migrants of taking over jobs in that country, thereby denying the nationals access to jobs.
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Reports said police were forced to fire tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the looters and arrested 12 people.
Meanwhile the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) has condemned "the barbaric, criminal and xenophobic murder" of some African immigrants in South Africa.
In a statement signed by the Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President John Dramani Mahama, it urged the South African government to act quickly to stop the increasing wave of attacks across its country.
The ECOWAS statement also condemned the individual South Africans involved in the act.
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Ingratitude
Describing the unprovoked attacks as "a pity," ECOWAS stated that the fact that the very people whose nations sacrificed to help South Africans fight to defeat apartheid would today be considered aliens and hacked to death in such barbaric manners, left much to be desired.
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh