Social media posts have falsely claimed that asylum seekers queueing at Home Affairs offices are being registered so that South Africa’s local government elections can be rigged.
One X post, viewed more than 75 000 times since 6 October, stated: “Those Asylum seekers are being registered so elections can be manipulated.”
Another post a day earlier, viewed more than 58 000 times, blamed Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber and claimed the DA “welcomes ALL asylum seekers from Africa”.
The claims followed the reopening of South Africa’s asylum system to new applicants after a Constitutional Court judgment in July.
There is no evidence that asylum seekers are being registered as voters. Registration at Refugee Reception Offices concerns asylum applications.
On 7 July, the Constitutional Court confirmed a Western Cape High Court ruling that several provisions of the Refugees Act and its regulations were unconstitutional.
The provisions had allowed people to be excluded from the asylum process for procedural reasons, including...
Viral posts claim asylum seekers are being registered ahead of the 4 November local government elections to manipulate the vote. Home Affairs is processing asylum applications after a Constitutio...