Home Affairs Denies Migrants Can Vote or Access SASSA After Disinformation Sparks Protests

• A coordinated online disinformation campaign claimed undocumented migrants could vote and access SASSA grants, triggering protests near Home Affairs offices
• Demonstrations broke out at the Durban Refugee Reception Centre as Home Affairs began implementing a 7 July 2026 Constitutional Court ruling on the Refugee Act
• Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi addressed the false claims ahead of an urgent Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration briefing

SOUTH AFRICA — A coordinated disinformation campaign falsely alleging that undocumented migrants have been granted voting rights and access to SASSA social grants has triggered public protests and prompted an urgent government response.

SABC News reported that the unrest emerged as the Department of Home Affairs began implementing operational directives aligned with a Constitutional Court ruling handed down on 7 July 2026. That ruling struck down sections of the Refugee Act found to be unconstitutional.

As processing resumed at refugee reception offices, false narratives spread rapidly online, leading to demonstrations outside several Home Affairs facilities, including the Durban Refugee Reception Centre, where protesters demanded that the processing of foreign applicants be halted.

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Government rejects false claims

Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi addressed the disinformation campaign directly, warning the public against circulating unverified claims. Speaking ahead of an urgent media briefing convened by Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration chairperson Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on Wednesday night, Baloyi explained that the false narratives gained traction precisely because they coincided with the department's implementation of the court's directives.

Baloyi confirmed that no provision in the Constitutional Court ruling extends citizenship rights, voting eligibility, or social grant access to asylum seekers or undocumented migrants. The Department of Home Affairs stated that the apex court's ruling dealt exclusively with procedural access under the Refugee Act and carried no broader legalisation implications for foreign nationals in South Africa.

IEC asked to act on deliberate misinformation

The Department of Home Affairs referred the matter to the Independent Electoral Commission, calling on it to take formal action against those deliberately spreading false information about migrant voting rights.

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According to SABC News, Baloyi noted that the public confusion stemmed from a misreading of what the court had ordered, with many incorrectly believing the ruling gave undocumented migrants access to full citizen benefits. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, chaired by Minister Kubayi, held an emergency briefing to address the escalating situation and reassure the public that South Africa's immigration and electoral frameworks remained intact.

Thousands of foreign nationals receive grants

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the number of foreign nationals receiving SASSA grants, including the Older Person’s Grant and the Child Support Grant. SASSA’s half-year report puts annual spending on the Older Person’s Grant for foreign nationals at more than R986 million. The figures have sparked debate over who receives social assistance and how the system is funded.

Source: Briefly News