Johannesburg: Leader of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has criticised Ghana's response to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Malema, in an interview sighted by GhanaWeb on May 28, 2026, argues that the evacuation of Ghanaians created the impression that all South Africans support the attacks.
According to Ghana Web, Malema expressed that the actions of a section of society should not be used to judge the entire country. He stated, "The Ghana response was not necessary because it now creates an impression that we are all like that when it is a certain section of our society that needs to be contained by law enforcement." Malema acknowledged concerns raised by some Ghanaians living in South Africa, especially complaints about the conduct of the police during the attacks.
He further contended that Ghana should have allowed South African authorities more time to deal with the situation before evacuating its citizens. Malema cited a Ghanaian woman's experience, where she felt unsafe due to police inaction during attacks, as a reason some chose to leave. He argued that the president of Ghana should have given South Africa time to address the issue, expressing hope for a resolution and urging Ghanaians to reconsider their stance.
Malema also emphasized the importance of diplomatic engagement between the two countries instead of actions that could escalate tensions. He stated, "We don't have to respond the same way they did. We need to pursue diplomatic engagements with Ghana until we find one another. We don't think Ghana responded in a manner that really reinforces dialogue and diplomatic engagement."
His comments follow the evacuation of 300 Ghanaians from South Africa by the government of Ghana after reports of attacks on foreign nationals.