South Africa has clarified that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s planned visit to Ghana has not been rejected but only postponed, dismissing reports suggesting that Ghana declined the engagement.
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Ramaphosa, said media reports claiming that Ghana had rejected the South African leader’s visit did not accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding the development.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday, July 7, he expressed disappointment over the manner in which the issue had been reported, stressing that the planned engagement between the two countries remains on course despite the postponement.
According to him, the planned engagement was linked to the Ghana-South Africa Binational Commission (BNC), a regular framework established to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, and not a request for a state visit.
He explained that Ghana was due to host the next meeting of the commission after South Africa hosted the previous session in 2024, adding that discussions between the two governments were simply to formally confirm arrangements that had already been agreed.
“We are disappointed with the manner in which this matter has been handled and reported because it does not reflect the true nature of the development,” he said.
“The date had long been agreed that Ghana will host the South Africa-Ghana Binational Commission. This is a regular meeting of the structure that manages the cooperation between the two countries.
“The last meeting was held in 2024, and that meeting was hosted by South Africa. It follows that Ghana was to host the next iteration of the BNC.”
Mr. Magwenya further explained that the correspondence between the two governments was merely a formality to confirm the arrangement and should not be interpreted as a request for a state visit that Ghana had rejected.
His clarification follows reports that Ghana had rejected a planned visit by President Ramaphosa amid concerns over the death of a Ghanaian national and renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreigners in South Africa.
Ghanaian authorities have raised concerns over the killing of 40-year-old Bashiru Isak, who was reportedly killed during demonstrations linked to attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa on June 30, 2026.
The Ghanaian government has since formally protested to the South African authorities over the incident and broader concerns regarding the safety of Ghanaian nationals living in the country.
President Ramaphosa had been expected to visit Ghana in the first week of August for the Ghana-South Africa Binational Commission meeting and other engagements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and advancing cooperation between the two countries.
Following discussions between both governments, the visit has been postponed, with a new date expected to be agreed.
