Ghanaians Petition ICC Over Xenophobic Violence in South Africa

Two Ghanaian nationals have petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary investigation into alleged attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa, claiming the incidents could amount to crimes against humanity.

According to Reuters, the petition, submitted on July 15, accused South African authorities of failing to prevent or prosecute what the petitioners described as a “pattern of widespread and systematic attacks” targeting migrants in the country.

South Africa has witnessed a rise in anti-immigrant protests in recent months, with some demonstrations escalating into violence against foreign nationals accused by protesters of contributing to challenges such as crime and unemployment.

Several African migrants have reportedly been killed, while others have suffered attacks, with some losing their homes and businesses to looting. Thousands of migrants have also fled parts of the country amid the unrest.

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The petition was filed by Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a former Ghanaian government spokesperson on governance and security, and Emmanuel Kotin, a counter-terrorism and security analyst.

In a statement announcing the action, the duo said: “For years, African brothers and sisters have been killed, beaten, and driven from their homes in South Africa.”

They added that while some South Africans had condemned the attacks, the repeated nature and scale of the incidents raised concerns over the government’s response.

“While we commend individuals in South Africa who have condemned these acts, the pattern, scale, and recurrence of the violence raise serious questions about the failure of state authorities to prevent, investigate, and punish these crimes,” the statement said.

The petitioners alleged that the South African government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, had failed to adequately address attacks against migrants, including allegations of murder.

However, South Africa’s Foreign Affairs Ministry rejected the claims, describing the petition as opportunistic.

Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the country had strong legal protections against discrimination and xenophobia.

“South Africa has a sophisticated domestic legal framework and legislation provides comprehensive safeguards and enforcement measures against discrimination of any kind, including intolerance on the grounds of social origin,” Phiri told Reuters.

President Ramaphosa has previously condemned attacks targeting foreigners, warning against blaming immigrants for long-standing socio-economic challenges facing the country.