Anele Mdoda Calls Out Home Affairs Over Viral Asylum Seeker Footage

• Anele Mdoda called out the Department of Home Affairs after footage of long asylum seeker queues went viral on social media
• The media personality questioned the glaring gender imbalance visible in the crowds outside Refugee Reception Offices, which showed only young men and little to no women or children
• The surge in applicants follows a landmark Constitutional Court ruling that removed procedural barriers for asylum seekers entering without valid visas

A video showing long queues of asylum seekers outside the Department of Home Affairs sparked serious questions from Anele Mdoda on 8 October 2026.

The footage, which circulated widely online, showed crowds that appeared to consist almost entirely of young men waiting outside Refugee Reception Offices to apply for or renew refugee and asylum seeker permits. The visible absence of women and children did not go unnoticed.

Mdoda directed her concern straight at the department, writing: "Why aren't there any women, @HomeAffairsSA? Wives and kids?"

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Jackie Phamotse raises security fears

Author and social commentator Jackie Phamotse echoed the sentiment, pressing further on the gender imbalance.

"Why were their wives left behind? Didn't they fear for their lives? No kids?" she asked.

Phamotse went on to raise broader security concerns, writing: "How will we know if we are letting in spies and terrorists? This is really scary."

Several other South African social media users joined the conversation, openly questioning the intentions of the large groups of young men and voicing fears over national security and border control.

Constitutional Court ruling triggers surge

The dramatic increase in queue numbers at Refugee Reception Offices follows a landmark Constitutional Court judgment handed down in July. The ruling struck down procedural barriers that had previously limited access to the asylum system, compelling offices across the country to process new applications from all individuals seeking asylum, including those who entered South Africa without a valid visa.

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Centres in Durban and Pretoria have been particularly hard hit, with the volume of applicants overwhelming Home Affairs' operational capacity. Anti-illegal immigration groups have responded by raising concerns over the directive, with localised protests and clashes reported outside some offices as the broader migration debate continues to intensify.

Watch the viral video below.

Anele Mdoda says André Esterhuizen should be banned from rugby

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared Anele Mdoda's reaction to André Esterhuizen's appointment as the Springboks captain.

The media personality suggested harsh actions for the athlete for a controversial incident that took place in 2012.

Source: Briefly News