The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration has sounded the alarm over a surge of fake videos and manipulated images flooding digital platforms, warning that disinformation is being weaponised to incite violence, drive xenophobic attacks, and destabilise communities nationwide.
The committee met in Pretoria on Sunday to brief the media on progress in rolling out President Cyril Ramaphosa’s newly announced migration strategy.
Misinformation
It said significant strides have been made in implementing the interventions outlined by Ramaphosa in his national address last week. But it raised sharp concerns about the “false narrative” portraying South Africa as inherently xenophobic or hostile to foreign nationals.
“Government recognises that misinformation and disinformation are among the greatest drivers of instability in our communities, and we are confronting it head‑on. We strongly caution the public about the spread of fake videos and images across various digital platforms, including social media.
“These old, staged, or heavily manipulated visuals are often part of a targeted disinformation campaign explicitly designed to incite violence, cause panic, fuel attacks on foreign nationals, and unfairly blame them for deep‑seated socio‑economic challenges like high unemployment and crime,” the committee said.
SA’s reputation
It added that beyond sowing domestic division, these “malicious campaigns are deliberately orchestrated to damage South Africa’s hard‑earned international reputation.”
“South Africa has historically welcomed and continues to host people from diverse countries across the globe. Our nation remains deeply committed to the African Union Agenda 2063, which seeks to promote a better, more integrated Africa for all.
“As a constitutional democracy, we fully comply with international migration frameworks and remain a committed signatory to numerous global conventions that promote human dignity, equality, and the rule of law,” it said.
Rule of law
While acknowledging the complexity of migration, the committee stressed that South Africa’s path forward is anchored in the constitution and the rule of law.
“The government calls on all undocumented and illegal immigrants currently within our borders to immediately comply with our laws. Our authorities are working with several countries that are also voluntarily repatriating their citizens back to their countries of origin.
“The South African Government will not tolerate the circumvention of our immigration systems and laws. We also call upon employers to refrain from transgressing immigration and labour laws,” the committee said.
It urged South Africans to “reject the path of vigilantism, dismiss the noise of misinformation, and partner with government as we restore stability to our neighbourhoods.”
