First group of Ghanaians arrivein Accra following repatriation from South Africa

The first group of almost 300 Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa amid anti-immigrant protests there, arrived home in Accra on Wednesday.

They were welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as patriotic songs blasted over the airport speakers.

Around 800 Ghanaians have registered with the High Commissioner for repatriation flights saying they no longer feel safe in South Africa.

Accra organised them in response to a wave of protests and violence targeting both documented and undocumented foreigners in the country.

One of the repatriated Ghanaians said he had built a salon in a container but that when the attacks began, it was broken into and looted.

"I tried selling my salon but couldn’t find a buyer. I left and ran away because if you have life, you have everything. So I lost my salon," he said.

"It has never been easy for us in South Africa over the past few weeks," said Victor Atsu Togbe, another returnee, thanking the government for taking them “out of the lion's den".

South Africa, the continent's most industrialised economy, has long been a destination for both legal and undocumented African workers.

But saddled with an unemployment rate of over 30 per cent, it has seen repeated spurts of xenophobic protests -- including renewed violence in recent weeks.

South African immigration officials say only 10 of the 300 people in the group – which included children – were in the country legally with "most" having overstayed their visas.

Ghana’s High Commissioner, however, has criticised processing backlogs for those seeking to renew their permits.

Ablakwa said 26 people who had been jailed by South African authorities over visa violations were on this first repatriation flight.

He reiterated government promises for psycho-social support and financial reintegration packages for the returnees.

"President Mahama says all of you should be given two special allowances. Transportation allowance, to wherever you live, wherever your homes are, and then there will be a reintegration allowance, a special package,"  he said.

The country has said returnees will be placed in a database for jobs and start-up opportunities.

The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing migration on the continent.

An ultimatum by one citizen-led group in South Africa for illegal migrants to be expelled by 30 June has raised fears of further violence against immigrants.

Earlier this month, several hundred people from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Somalia sought protection in the eastern port city of Durban, saying locals were going door-to-door to tell them to leave by that date.

The South African government has said it is stepping up enforcement against undocumented immigrants but urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands.

There are more than three million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1 per cent of the population, according to the statistics agency.

More than 63 per cent come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.