Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, has strongly criticised the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over "factually incorrect" statements regarding a recent fatal shooting in the Western Cape.

Kubayi, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, expressed serious concern on Thursday, over claims linking the death of a Ghanaian national to anti-immigrant demonstrations.

The diplomatic friction stems from an official statement issued by Ghanaian authorities on Wednesday, which claimed a Ghanaian citizen was fatally wounded "on Monday, during anti-immigrant demonstrations linked to ongoing xenophobic attacks.”

Kubayi completely rejected the timeline and narrative, pointing to “chronological errors” in the Ghanaian dispatch, noting that the irregular migration protests actually occurred on Tuesday. She stated the fatal shooting was “entirely unrelated” to the demonstrations.

According to an official briefing from the Western Cape Police, the incident was a targeted criminal act rather than a xenophobic attack.

The statement indicated that the Nyanga police registered a murder case for investigation following a shooting incident on Monday, in Emms Drive, Nyanga, where a 35-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded.

Kubayi cautioned against the spread of unverified information, stating that no fatalities were recorded during Tuesday's irregular migration demonstrations.

She confirmed that law enforcement quickly contained the isolated incidents of criminality reported on the day of the protests.

"It is concerning that Ghanaian authorities continue to communicate false information about South Africa regarding developments on irregular migration," Kubayi stated.

She urged continental counterparts to use official channels to communicate diplomatic concerns.

While rebuking the statement from Ghana, Kubayi extended South Africa's condolences to the family of the deceased man. She reaffirmed government's commitment to ensuring that justice is served, promising that law enforcement will bring the killers to book.