Ghana's Speaker of Parliament recounts role in South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle

Speaking at an event on June 2, 2026, Bagbin highlighted various contributions from African nations, including Ghana, to aid South Africans in their fight for freedom. He shared his personal involvement in South Africa's transition, revealing he spent months there in the early 1990s assisting with preparations for the country's first democratic elections in 1994. Bagbin noted that Africans united against oppression and land dispossession, recalling his experience seeing Black South Africans denied land and opportunities.

He described the hardships he faced during his stay, including being monitored due to his identity as a Black African. He also mentioned relying on a colleague he suspected was linked to Russian intelligence services, reflecting the tense environment. While acknowledging the collective effort that led to South Africa's independence and the success of the 1994 elections, Bagbin expressed concern that many young South Africans today perceive little change in their conditions.

He warned that this frustration contributes to rising tensions and resentment against other Africans, particularly concerning jobs and migration, calling for diplomatic solutions to these worrying attitudes. His comments follow recent xenophobic tensions in South Africa, which led to Ghana evacuating some of its citizens