For nearly two decades, African migrants in South Africa have endured waves of deadly violence. Shops have been looted. Homes have been burned. People have been beaten, driven from their communities, and in some cases, killed.

Now, two Ghanaian citizens have taken the fight to one of the world’s highest legal stages, filing a formal petition with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate whether the recurring attacks amount to crimes against humanity.

The petition, submitted to the ICC prosecutor on July 15 and reviewed by Reuters, was filed by Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a former Ghanaian government spokesperson on governance and security, and Emmanuel Kotin, a counter-terrorism and security analyst. It alleges a “pattern of widespread and systematic attacks” against African migrants in South Africa between 2015 and 2026, including killings, assaults, looting, and forced displacement.

“We are simply asking the ICC to investigate these allegations,” Kotin told The Associated Press, adding that the initiative was private and not backed by Ghana’s government.

A Pattern of Violence, A Cry for Justice

The petition argues that South African authorities have failed to adequately prevent or prosecute the violence, despite years of attacks on foreign nationals. Anti-immigrant protests have surged in recent months, with demonstrators blaming migrants for high unemployment, rising crime, and pressure on public services. The unrest has turned deadly, with several African migrants killed, others assaulted, and thousands forced to flee the country.

“For years, African brothers and sisters have been killed, beaten and driven from their homes in South Africa,” Boakye-Danquah and Kotin said in a joint statement. “While we commend individuals in South Africa who have condemned these acts, the pattern, scale and recurrence of the violence raise serious questions about the failure of state authorities to prevent, investigate, and punish these crimes”.

Who Are the Petitioners?

Palgrave Boakye-Danquah is a well-known public figure in Ghana. He served as a government spokesperson on governance and security, and describes himself on Facebook as “Missional, Politically Oriented, Deep believe in Democracy, Learner, Student, Publisher, Speaker, Mentor, Thinker, Author, Father”.

He holds a doctorate in business leadership and has been an outspoken commentator on governance and security issues in Ghana.

Emmanuel Kotin is a counter-terrorism and security analyst whose professional focus has been on threats to regional stability.

Together, the two men have leveraged their expertise in governance and security to argue that South Africa’s recurring xenophobic violence is not merely a series of isolated incidents, but a systemic failure that demands international accountability.

South Africa Dismisses Petition as ‘Opportunistic’

South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the petition, dismissing it as “opportunistic”. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told Reuters that South Africa has “a sophisticated domestic legal framework” with comprehensive safeguards against discrimination.

“South Africa categorically reject[s] xenophobia, racism, homophobia, and intolerance and discrimination in all their manifestations,” the ministry said, describing respect for the dignity of everyone within its borders as both a constitutional and moral duty.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly condemned attacks on migrants and warned citizens against taking the law into their own hands. His government has also emphasized that more than 53,000 foreign nationals have recently been deported or voluntarily repatriated, and that its legal system is capable of handling such matters.

A History of Violence, A Pattern of Impunity?

South Africa has experienced periodic outbreaks of anti-migrant violence for nearly two decades. Rights groups have repeatedly urged authorities to do more to prevent attacks and prosecute those responsible. The latest wave of violence prompted Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi to repatriate their citizens and summon South African diplomats.

The ICC has confirmed receipt of the petition. Under the Rome Statute, individuals and groups may submit information on alleged crimes to the prosecutor, who assesses whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed. However, the submission of a communication does not automatically lead to a formal investigation, and the court receives many such communications—only a small proportion of which advance to later stages.

What Happens Next?

The ICC prosecutor will now assess the petition to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with a preliminary examination. If the prosecutor finds merit, the court could eventually open a formal investigation into whether the attacks on migrants in South Africa constitute crimes against humanity.

For Boakye-Danquah and Kotin, the petition is not about politics—it is about accountability.

“The success of this effort will be measured by the safety of Africans wherever they choose to live and work on this continent,” they have said. “We are simply asking the ICC to investigate these allegations.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has given rise to an unintended and increasingly familiar phenomenon: a surge of asylum claims from visitors who entered Canada on tournament-related visas.

According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a total of 175 asylum claims have been lodged by World Cup visitors who received visas to attend matches in Toronto and Vancouver. Canada issued approximately 26,000 visas for the 13 games hosted in the country.

Ghana recorded the highest number of claims, with 25 Ghanaians seeking asylum after entering on visitor visas linked to the tournament. The Black Stars played their opening match against Panama in Toronto on June 17.

Other nations also saw significant numbers. Egypt recorded 15 claims, Senegal 10, and there were also claims from Kenya (15), Nigeria (10), China (10), Bangladesh (10), Burundi (5), Nepal (5), and Pakistan (5). Notably, many claims came from nationals whose countries did not even participate in the tournament—a pattern that underscores how major sporting events have become an unconventional migration route.

IRCC has cautioned that the final number could rise further as some visitors who overstay their visas may later pursue refugee status. The department confirmed that “as of July 20, 2026, of the 26,111 individuals with prior FIFA-related approved temporary residence applications, 175 people later submitted asylum claims”.

A Pattern Across Continents

The World Cup asylum surge is not an isolated incident. It reflects a growing trend observed at major international sporting events over the past two decades.

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics – 22 Claims

When Canada last hosted a major global sporting event—the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver—22 people made refugee claims. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, claimants came from nine different countries, including Ghana, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, and Nepal. Seven of them were members of the “Olympic family”—a designation that includes athletes, coaches, support staff, and officials.

The 2010 figures were remarkably low compared to the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, which generated 730 claims, and the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa-Hull, which saw more than 100 participants from 17 countries claim refugee status.

2012 London Olympics – 82 Claims

Two years later, the London Olympics produced a larger wave. A total of 82 athletes and officials sought asylum in the United Kingdom during the Games. According to AMES Australia, some claims were filed even before the opening ceremony. Of these, 52 were eventually granted refugee status.

Immigration officials at the time feared that up to 2 percent of Olympic visitors from certain regions might claim refuge in the UK. The cases included members of the Cameroonian and Congolese Olympic teams who went missing after the Games, citing mistreatment by their officials.

Earlier Precedents

The phenomenon dates back decades. During the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, 26 athletes sought asylum. In 2011, 15 Ethiopian athletes disappeared from the All African Games in Mozambique. Even the 1948 London Olympics saw one of the earliest recorded asylum requests by someone associated with the Games.

Why Sporting Events Become Asylum Gateways

Experts point to several factors driving this trend.

Major international tournaments require host nations to issue thousands of visas to visitors, athletes, and officials—creating a rare window of opportunity for those seeking to escape conditions in their home countries. Host nations must balance the logistical demands of a global event against the integrity of their immigration systems.

Canada was well aware of this risk. Before the World Cup, IRCC warned ticketholders that they could be refused visas or turned away by border agents if there was concern they might not return home. The department closely scrutinized visa applications to prevent people from entering with the aim of claiming asylum. A number of Ghanaian applicants were reportedly denied visas on these grounds.

Yet the claims still came.

A Humanitarian and Policy Challenge

The asylum claims raise difficult questions for host nations. On one hand, they are obligated under international law to consider refugee claims from those who fear persecution in their home countries. On the other, the use of sporting events as a migration route strains immigration systems and fuels political debate over border control.

For those who file claims, the stakes are high. Athletes who seek asylum often sacrifice elite-level support and recognition in their home countries. For visitors and fans, it is a decision that comes with immense uncertainty—and the possibility of deportation if their claims are rejected.

As Canada deals with these 175 claims from the World Cup, it joins a growing list of host nations confronting the same reality: major sporting events are no longer just about competition, celebration, and national pride. They have become, for some, a path to a new life.

Bulldozers and military engineers have moved into some of Accra’s most flood-prone neighborhoods this week, demolishing homes, walls and bridges built illegally along waterways in a dramatic operation aimed at preventing a repeat of the devastating floods that recently claimed lives and destroyed property across Ghana’s capital.

The images are striking: heavy machinery tearing through concrete retaining walls, excavators scooping thick silt from the Tesa Dam, residents watching in silence as their homes come down, and military officers directing the operation under direct orders from President John Dramani Mahama.

The exercise, which began at New England behind Airport Hills and Mayfair Garden Estates, has since extended to the Tesa Dam in East Legon and Oyarifa. The Flood Mitigation Task Force, led by Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Stan Xoese Dogbe and Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources Kenneth Adjei, is carrying out the operation in phases with support from military engineers.

Tesa Dam: A Critical Waterway Restored

At the Tesa Dam, adjacent to Boundary Road in East Legon, the task force demolished unauthorised retaining walls and other structures built along the banks of the reservoir.

Officials say encroachment had narrowed the natural waterway, while years of siltation and indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste by squatters had drastically reduced the dam’s capacity to hold stormwater.

Before the demolition began, the commanding officer of the 48 Engineer Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Osei Amponsah, addressed affected residents, explaining that the operation was necessary to restore the watercourse. Occupants were given time to remove their belongings before the heavy equipment moved in.

Immediately after the demolitions, dredging began to remove thick silt deposits from the dam, which serves as a critical retention basin for floodwaters along the Motorway and surrounding communities.

‘The Problem Is Man-Made’

Speaking to journalists, the Coordinator of the Flood Mitigation Task Force, Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, said the crisis was entirely avoidable.

“The channel has been narrowed because people have built in this area. Water cannot flow freely to the holding area downstream. Since the channel is blocked, water backs up and floods the communities,” he explained.

He added that the exercise would not end with demolition:

“We will clear the debris, dredge the area, and create a buffer zone where no one will be allowed to build again. The assemblies will also be tasked to monitor and act immediately if anyone attempts to encroach.”

A Continuous Operation Under Presidential Orders

The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, disclosed that the operation would be a continuous one, under direct orders from the President.

“The President has directed that this should be an ongoing exercise. After the demolitions, we will continue dredging throughout the year so that whenever it rains, the water will have enough space. We will not allow the kind of flooding we recently experienced to happen again,” he stated.

Phased Approach Across Accra

The Tesa Dam operation followed similar exercises on Thursday at Oyarifa, where a developer had built an apartment block directly over a natural waterway, and around Mayfair Gardens, where a concrete-reinforced bridge constructed by residents was removed.

The task force says it will clear, desilt and restore all identified water channels in the current locations before moving to phase two, which will target Weija, Mallam and the Laboma area.