A Ghanaian woman stranded in South Africa has described the difficult conditions at the Pretoria West camp, where dozens of Ghanaians are awaiting evacuation to Ghana amid renewed xenophobic attacks.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, the woman said fear, uncertainty and limited access to healthcare have become part of their daily lives as they remain at the camp.
She, however, acknowledged support from the Church of Pentecost, which she said has been providing food assistance to the stranded Ghanaians.
“It’s been difficult, but when it comes to feeding, the Church of Pentecost is helping us,” she said.
According to her, many people at the camp are afraid to move freely because of concerns about being stopped by police and immigration authorities.
“You have to be careful when going out because if you are not careful and the police get hold of you, it will be a different issue,” she said.
The woman, who said she was leaving the camp to purchase medication for her sick brother, claimed access to healthcare has become a major challenge for some of the stranded migrants.
“My brother is sick, and I am going to buy drugs. We can’t access healthcare,” she stated.
She further alleged that a Ghanaian woman was denied medical attention because her passport had expired, although she questioned the basis for the decision.
“One lady was sick and was denied healthcare because they claimed her passport had expired. I don’t know why they are saying that because the passport is for 10 years,” she said.
She also recounted another incident involving a Ghanaian woman who she claimed narrowly escaped arrest while attempting to register for a customer card at a shopping centre.
“Another lady went to Shoprite to register for their card and was nearly arrested, so she had to run,” she alleged.
The woman explained that while some Ghanaians at the camp have secured asylum documents, others are still waiting for their immigration status to be regularised.
She said she applied for legal documentation about three years ago through her employer but has since not received the required permit.
“My boss did it for me and others. I was issued a receipt, and till now, I haven’t received the legal document,” she said.
She also raised concerns about the number of children at the camp, describing their situation as worrying.
“There are a lot of children here. The youngest is five months old. A two-year-old fell sick and almost lost his life,” she said.
The stranded Ghanaians are among those expected to be evacuated to Ghana following heightened concerns over their safety amid renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.
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