Only one person reportedly arrived to board Ghana’s planned evacuation flight from South Africa after rising anti-immigration tensions triggered fears among some foreign nationals in the country. The incident prompted South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to call for broader regional discussions on migration cited by enca.

The Ghanaian government had chartered a flight capable of carrying up to 300 people from Johannesburg to Accra after weeks of anti-immigration protests and growing security concerns in parts of South Africa. Ghana also offered returning citizens transport assistance, psychosocial support, reintegration allowances, and inclusion in employment support databases.

According to South African officials, the flight was scheduled to depart from OR Tambo International Airport early Wednesday morning, but only one passenger arrived for evacuation.

The tensions follow demonstrations linked to claims surrounding the alleged coronation of a Nigerian traditional leader in South Africa’s Eastern Cape earlier this year. Nigerian diplomatic officials later clarified that no king had been officially coronated in the country. Similar anti-immigration demonstrations have since spread to other areas, including Durban.

DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela said African governments should work more closely with South Africa to address what he described as the “push and pull factors” behind migration. He called for a “solution-driven, holistic discussion” involving countries across the continent.

South African authorities have repeatedly emphasized that the country remains committed to human rights, equality, and the rule of law despite growing public pressure over undocumented migration. The South African Human Rights Commission has also appealed for calm amid the ongoing tensions.