Johannesburg - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has dispelled rumours alleging it has ordered immediate deportation of undocumented migrants from Monday.
For the past few days messages have been circulating on social media networks and SMSes sent around about imminent deportations.
DHA spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said “such information is false”.
“No such statement was made or issued by the department or any official,” he said.
“It would run contrary to the laws of our country to instruct citizens, as purported in the malicious messages, to take the law into their hands, and to close companies down without due process,” he said.
However, the DHA reminded those residing in South Africa that the inspectorate had a duty to ensure they were correctly documented, resided in the country on a lawful basis and acquired documents and status lawfully.
The DHA has standardised systems relating to the detection, detention and deportation of illegal foreign nationals in South Africa.
Tshwete said that Minister Malusi Gigaba was expected soon to shed more light on South Africa’s implementation of systems for managing the processes related to asylum and undocumented migrants.
“Citizens and all other persons in the country are strongly advised to ignore this false alarm that is seemingly seeking to fuel tensions in the country.
“It is in the best interests of the country for government and citizens to do all in their power together to work for stability and peace, while combating illegal migration and other crimes through lawful means,” the statement said.
The DHA, however, has made it clear that it would deport those in the country who it saw as contravening South Africa’s law adding that undocumented immigrants were still a challenge it continued to deal with.
This is not the first time the DHA has been the victim of a such a hoax. In September, a fake news article claimed that Gigaba had introduced a compulsory DNA testing requirements for registration of new births.
The hoax claimed that all babies born from 2017 to South African parents would have to undergo DNA tests to confirm their paternity before they could be allowed to take on their fathers’ surnames.
This was slammed and debunked by the DHA which said no such interview had been conducted with Gigaba adding the article had appeared on what seemed to be a fake website.
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