Hundreds of Ghanaians are leaving South Africa on special repatriation flights as anti-immigration protests and violence against foreigners escalate in the continent's most industrialized nation.

The first group of 300 Ghanaians departed on a special repatriation flight from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to Accra on Wednesday, according to Ghana's Foreign Ministry.

A South African immigration official told local station eNCA that only 10 of the Ghanaians on the flight were in the country legally, "so quite a number of them are in non-compliance to our immigration act."

The next repatriation flight is scheduled for Sunday, according to Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa. Some 800 Ghanaians in total are expected to leave under the repatriation program. Ghana has pledged financial, psychological, and social support for its repatriated citizens.

The evacuation comes as anti-immigrant demonstrations and attacks on foreigners become more widespread across South Africa, with protests in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban.

South Africa, the largest economy on the African continent, attracts both legal and undocumented migrants. The current unrest is fueled by the country's economic woes, with unemployment exceeding 30%.

A viral video last month showing an attack on Ghanaian Emmanuel Asamoah in South Africa stoked fears in the Ghanaian community. In April, Ghana summoned South Africa's top envoy over "continuous xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians and other Africans living in South Africa."

Political rhetoric against migrants has also intensified ahead of municipal elections in November. Earlier this month, Nigeria's foreign minister said at least 130 Nigerian citizens in South Africa had requested repatriation amid anti-migrant sentiment.

Source: www.dw.com