SAPS Circular on Foreign Nationals Targeting Sparks Confusion Among South Africans

• SAPS issued an official circular instructing officers not to join community groups or private organisers in targeting foreign nationals
• The directive clarified that only the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority hold legal authority over immigration enforcement
• The circular sparked debate online after many South Africans misread what police officers were and were not permitted to do

SOUTH AFRICA — The South African Police Service has issued an official operational policy circular directing all members to refrain from joining private organisers or community groups in any actions aimed at identifying, threatening, or removing foreign nationals from their homes or businesses.

The circular was issued by Lt Gen MJ Mamotheti, Divisional Commissioner for Visible Policing and Operations at SAPS Head Office, and addressed to all Divisional Commissioners, Provincial Commissioners, and Component Heads. It was shared on X on 1 August 2026.

What the SAPS directive states

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The circular makes clear that immigration enforcement falls solely under the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Border Management Authority (BMA), established under the Border Management Authority Act of 2020. Private individuals and community groups have no legal authority to detain, identify, or evict any person on the basis of suspected immigration status.

SAPS members are permitted to support lawful immigration operations in certain ways, including verifying identities where there is a lawful basis, referring suspected violations to the DHA or BMA, maintaining public order during formal enforcement operations, and investigating criminal offences such as human trafficking, fraudulent documents, and corruption linked to immigration.

The circular explicitly states that any officer who participates in civilian-led actions against foreign nationals may face disciplinary action, civil liability, and criminal prosecution. Commanders are required to ensure all members are briefed on the directive during parades and training sessions.

Confusion over the circular's scope

The policy generated significant discussion online, with many users misreading its intent as an instruction for police to stand aside entirely and take no action where foreign nationals are concerned. Critics on the X page questioned what role SAPS would then play in situations where communities sought their assistance.

@Junior97764316 wrote:

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"If a person is not illegal, they will not be arrested. If they're arrested unlawfully, they have legal recourse. Community participation in law enforcement can't be selective. The law is ultimately meant to protect SA communities."

@PSAFMophiring commented:

"This is possibly not coincidental."

@jabzin2025 asked simply:

"What point is being proven here?"

See the X post below:

The circular does not instruct officers to be passive. It prohibits participation in vigilante-style operations while preserving SAPS's lawful and constitutionally mandated functions, which include protecting the rights to equality, dignity, and freedom of movement of all people in South Africa, regardless of nationality or immigration status.

More on immigration tensions in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on a Limpopo advocate mistaken for a foreigner and harassed in Pretoria, warning that the anti-foreigner movement was now turning on locals too.
• A Ugandan travel creator toured Freedom Square in Kampala, a memorial honouring South African freedom fighters, sparking debate amid anti-foreigner protests back home.
• A foreign salon owner in Pietermaritzburg was filmed being forced out of her own business, leaving South Africans deeply disturbed by the confrontation.

Source: Briefly News