South Africa refutes claims of incentivizing citizens to turn in illegal immigrants

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The South African government has dismissed as fake a notice circulating on social media claiming that members of the public would receive monetary rewards for reporting undocumented foreign nationals.

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The country’s Department of Home Affairs dismissed the viral notice in a statement posted on its official X handle on Sunday.

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“The notice currently circulating is fraudulent and did not originate from the Department of Home Affairs. Neither the Department nor the Minister of Home Affairs offers monetary rewards to members of the public for reporting undocumented foreign nationals,” the statement read.

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The department advised the public to verify information through its official communication channels before sharing it to curb the spread of misinformation.

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“We encourage the public to verify information through official channels before sharing it. Let us all play our part in promoting accurate information, responsible engagement, and respect for the rule of law,” it said.

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The alert comes amid xenophobic tensions and violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals from other African countries, particularly Nigerians, are been targeted in attacks.

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In response, Nigerian government is flying home citizens from the country.

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Hundreds of Nigerians have registered to return, saying they lost homes and livelihoods, as the federal government warns Pretoria but pursues a diplomatic response.

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