A flight carrying 300 Ghanaians, repatriated from South Africa amid fears there could be a resurgence of xenophobic violence there, has landed in Ghana’s capital city, Accra.

Ghana’s government chartered a flight from Johannesburg following a wave of protests against illegal immigration in South Africa.

Further departures are expected in the coming days – roughly 800 Ghanaians registered for repatriation.

The country’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, joined other officials at the airport in Accra on Wednesday in order to welcome the first set of arrivals.

A total of 297 Ghanaian citizens arrived on Wednesday, Ghana’s High Commissioner in South Africa, Benjamin Quashie said. He added that a mother and her two children were not permitted to leave as she did not have the children’s birth certificates.

Few of the departing passengers wanted to speak to journalists in Johannesburg but Rudolph, who has lived in South Africa for 10 years and runs a salon, told the BBC he was leaving because of the recent protests.