Accra: Former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has strongly condemned the resurgence of xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa, warning that the violence threatens regional stability and undermines Africa's unity.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Boakye-Danquah issued a statement on April 27, 2026, describing the attacks targeting nationals from countries including Ghana as deeply troubling and contrary to the continent's shared values. He condemned the recurring xenophobic attacks, stating that these acts of violence are an affront to shared humanity, a betrayal of the Pan-African ideals, and a direct threat to regional peace and stability.
He attributed the situation to lapses in governance and security, highlighting failures in preventive systems and law enforcement. He noted that the authorities' inability to address underlying social and economic pressures has contributed to misplaced anger against foreign nationals. The attacks reveal a breakdown in early-warning systems, community policing, and intelligence-led prevention, exacerbated by unaddressed issues like unemployment, misinformation, and resource scarcity.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah also expressed concerns about impunity, warning that weak enforcement of the law only emboldens perpetrators. The slow pace of arrests, prosecutions, and convictions signals to mobs that violence against foreign nationals carries little consequence.
Beyond the immediate human toll, he cautioned that the attacks could have far-reaching consequences for regional cooperation and economic growth, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He emphasized that no country is secure when its neighbor's streets are unsafe for Africans, calling it economic self-sabotage.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah called for urgent and coordinated action, urging the South African government to ensure accountability through swift arrests and prosecutions. Justice must be visible to deter recurrence, he emphasized.
Among his recommendations, he proposed the establishment of a joint ECOWAS-SADC security task force to protect migrants, stronger efforts to counter misinformation, and support for youth employment across the continent. He further urged the African Union to convene an emergency meeting of Heads of State to adopt a binding continental protocol against xenophobia.
In a passionate appeal to African solidarity, he invoked the philosophy of Ubuntu, urging citizens across the continent to reject division and embrace unity. He stated that attacking a Ghanaian in Johannesburg is akin to desecrating the grave of every African who stood for freedom.
He concluded with a message of support to victims and a call for collective responsibility, urging the choice of Ubuntu over hatred, integration over isolation, and Africa over fragmentation.