Ghana repatriated the first group of citizens from South Africa to Accra on a Wednesday, following anti-immigration protests in the neighboring country. Authorities described the repatriation as a voluntary process for citizens who no longer feel safe. Approximately 800 Ghanaians had registered to be repatriated, with accounts differing on the size of the initial flight. Multiple sources state the first group consisted of approximately 300 nationals, while other sources report that authorities are repatriating the first group of 800 citizens who have registered.

Ghana summoned South Africa’s ambassador over reported attacks on Ghanaians, according to morningstaronline.co.uk. Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa welcomed the returnees at the airport, as reported by thesouthafrican.com. Loren Landau, a migration expert at the University of the Witwatersrand, characterized the repatriation as a symbolic move to send a message to South Africa, according to morningstaronline.co.uk.

Protesters in South Africa demanded tighter controls on undocumented migrants and accused foreigners of contributing to crime and unemployment, according to rocketnews.com. South Africa's security forces reported that more than 25,000 people had been repatriated in recent weeks, according to bangkokpost.