Ghanaians Petition ICC Over Xenophobic Attacks on African Migrants in South Africa
- Two Ghanaian nationals have submitted a petition to the ICC on July 15 urging a preliminary investigation into attacks on migrants in South Africa
- Petitioners Palgrave Boakye-Danquah and Emmanuel Kotin argue the violence could amount to crimes against humanity under international law
- South Africa's Department of International Relations dismissed the petition, insisting the country's legal framework is sufficient to handle the matter
Two Ghanaians have taken the fight against xenophobic violence in South Africa to one of the world's highest legal stages, filing a formal petition with the International Criminal Court on July 15 calling for a preliminary investigation into repeated attacks on African migrants.
Source: Facebook
According to a report by Reuters, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a former Ghanaian government spokesperson on governance and security, and Emmanuel Kotin, a counter-terrorism and security analyst, submitted the petition.
The pair argue that the persistent targeting of foreign nationals living in South Africa has reached a scale and frequency that warrants international scrutiny.
Ghanaians Urge ICC to Investigate South Africa Attacks
At the heart of their case is what they describe as a clear pattern of widespread and systematic violence against migrants, including murder, assault, and the deliberate destruction of property.
Boakye-Danquah and Kotin contend that South African authorities have consistently failed to prevent the attacks, hold perpetrators accountable, or deliver justice for victims who have suffered forced displacement and sustained intimidation over many years.
South Africa has experienced several waves of anti-immigrant unrest in recent months. While some demonstrations have remained peaceful, others have spiralled into violence, with migrants losing their lives, businesses being looted, and entire communities fleeing for safety.
The unrest has been fuelled by accusations from some South Africans that foreign nationals worsen unemployment and strain public services.
The petition arrives against a charged backdrop.
Figures such as Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of anti-immigrant group March and March, have spearheaded high-profile campaigns targeting migrants, with the group having previously set a June 30 deadline for immigrants to leave the country.
The movement drew condemnation from across the African continent.
South Africa Rejects ICC Petition as Opportunistic
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation dismissed the petition outright, with spokesperson Chrispin Phiri describing the move as opportunistic.
Phiri insisted that South Africa's existing legal framework is more than capable of addressing hate crimes, discrimination, and violence, adding that the law protects all people within the country's borders regardless of nationality.
President Cyril Ramaphosa's office has not formally responded to this specific petition.
However, Ramaphosa has previously spoken out against xenophobic attacks on multiple occasions and urged South Africans to stop blaming migrants for the country's economic difficulties.
The ICC is yet to signal whether it will act on the request.
Should the court agree to open a preliminary investigation, it would mark a significant escalation in international pressure on Pretoria over how it handles violence against foreign nationals.
The Facebook post announcing the probe is below:
SA anti-immigrant activist dragged before court
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that anti-immigrant activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma had been dragged before the court by the South African Human Rights Commission.
In a video, Ngobese-Zuma, the leader of the March and March protest group, called on her diehard fans to 'flood' the courthouse on the day of her hearing to support her.
Source: YEN.com.gh
