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South Africans in Ghana observe Human Rights Day
South Africans in Ghana yesterday, March 21, 2023, gathered at the High Commissioner’s residence in Accra to observe Human Rights Day.
Human Rights Day is a national day that is commemorated annually on March 21, to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in South Africa.
Held under the theme; ‘Consolidating and sustaining human rights culture into the future’, the event saw some Ghanaians join the important day.
Speaking at the event, Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Ghana, said Africans are one people with a common destiny and vision.
“But for me, and what were are here to do is to promote Pan-Africanism at the apex of our agenda,” she noted.
She added that African cultures are so inextricably linked to languages and cuisines among others, and urged South Africans who find themselves in other countries not to forget about where they come from.
“We are a very resilient nation, together, we can overcome anything,” Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason said.
According to her, she has made a lot of South African friends in the past two years in Ghana and also promoted a good relationship with Ghanaians.
She commended the supportive role of promoting and telling the South African story by the media over the years.
On his part, Counsellor in charge of Political Affairs, Thando Dalamba, said the South African government promotes and protects Human Rights,” Today we observe the Sharpeville and Langa Massacre which happened on the same day in 1960.”
He added that the day honours those who fought for liberation and celebrates the many laws in their constitution which guarantee Human Rights.
Officers from Brand South Africa also took the gathering through some investment and other opportunities in South Africa.
The event powered by Brandflow Ghana, an integrated Marketing Communications company specialising in Event Management, saw some Ghanaian businessmen and creative industry stakeholders in attendance.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sammy Ayeh has picked up nomination forms to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer position.
Announcing his intention, Dr. Ayeh said he is offering himself to help communicate the party’s vision clearly and connect its message with the aspirations of Ghanaians.
He expressed deep gratitude to the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, describing him as an able leader on whose shoulders he has risen.
“His exceptional leadership, mentorship and confidence in me have shaped my journey and strengthened my resolve to serve,” Dr. Ayeh stated.
He said if elected, he will seek to build on that foundation by strengthening research-driven communication, empowering grassroots communicators, and enhancing strategic media engagement.
Dr. Ayeh humbly appealed to party members and supporters for their support.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Data Protection Commission has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media houses to protect the personal information of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Commission expressed concern over the public disclosure of the evacuees’ personal details, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
It warned that making such information public could expose the affected individuals to identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm, especially given the threats to their safety that some of them may have faced.
The Commission explained that the 1992 Constitution protects the dignity and privacy of every individual. It also cited the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which sets out rules for the lawful collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and press freedom, the Commission stressed that these principles do not automatically justify the unrestricted publication of personal details.
It said the disclosure of the records by the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media organisations must be assessed based on the law, the purpose of the disclosure and the privacy rights of the individuals involved.
The Commission further noted that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament are registered data controllers in good standing, their registration does not exempt them from their legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
It has therefore urged all the parties involved to take appropriate steps to protect the affected individuals, including immediately restricting access to or removing personal details from publicly available records where their continued disclosure is not legally justified.
The Commission announced plans to conduct a regulatory review to determine whether the disclosures had a lawful basis, what safeguards were applied and whether the privacy rights of the evacuees had been adequately protected.
It said it would engage the relevant parties as part of the review and take appropriate regulatory action if any breach of the law is established.
The Commission reiterated that protecting personal information and respecting human dignity must remain central to efforts to promote public accountability.
By: Jacob Aggrey
