More than 340 Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa in second charter flight operation

Following a successful repatriation operation last week, over 340 Ghanaians were flown back home from South Africa, highlighting ongoing cooperation between the Ghanaian government and South African authorities. Just days after South African authorities facilitated the repatriation of nearly 300 Ghanaian nationals, a second and larger operation saw more than 340 Ghanaians depart the country on a chartered flight from OR Tambo International Airport. The latest repatriation effort took place on Sunday, when the Ghanaian nationals were brought to the airport by the Ghanaian High Commission in Pretoria for processing and departure.

The operation follows a similar exercise last week, during which Border Management Authority (BMA) officials spent hours screening 300 Ghanaian nationals, ultimately clearing 295 for departure after identifying several immigration-related irregularities. In the latest operation, BMA Immigration officials processed travellers using a combination of ordinary Ghanaian passports and Emergency Travel Certificates issued by the Ghanaian High Commission. According to the BMA, 117 travellers presented ordinary Ghanaian passports, while 90 adults and 37 minor children born in South Africa travelled using Emergency Travel Certificates.

The operation also included 25 asylum seekers who voluntarily withdrew their asylum applications before departure, addressing one of the key issues that had complicated the previous repatriation exercise. During immigration verification procedures, officials found that 170 travellers had overstayed their authorised period of stay in South Africa by 30 days or longer. They were subsequently declared undesirable in terms of Section 30 of the Immigration Act, read together with Regulation 27(3)(c) of the Immigration Regulations.

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The Department of Home Affairs also transported 10 deportees from the Lindela Holding Facility to join the repatriation movement. At the conclusion of the screening process, 341 passengers were cleared for departure. However, one traveller failed to check in for the flight.

The remaining 340 passengers successfully boarded the chartered aircraft arranged by the Government of Ghana through its High Commission in Pretoria and departed South Africa. BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato described the operation as a demonstration of effective cooperation between the Ghanaian government and South African migration authorities. “The successful processing of these repatriation movements reflects the importance of coordinated efforts between foreign missions and South African authorities.

Such cooperation contributes to effective migration management while ensuring compliance with the country’s immigration laws,” Masiapato said. He commended the Port Management Committee and officials from various government departments who assisted in facilitating the large-scale movement. The commissioner also encouraged foreign missions to continue collaborating closely with South African authorities to ensure that future repatriation processes are conducted efficiently and within the framework of immigration laws.

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