SAPS warns public: Viral ‘illegal foreigners’ notice is fake

Cape Town – The South African Police Service has warned the public about a fake notice circulating on social media that falsely claims government has ordered “all illegal foreigners” to leave South Africa by 30 June.

In a statement accompanied by the hashtags #DeleteDontShare and #ResponsibleSocialMediaUse, SAPS said the message is part of disinformation intended to mislead communities and create unnecessary panic.

“This notice is fake and forms part of disinformation aimed at misleading and causing unnecessary panic within communities,” the police said.

SAPS further clarified that no such directive has been issued by government and dismissed the claim as entirely false.

“Government has not issued any directive ordering ‘all illegal foreigners’ to leave South Africa by 30 June,” the statement read.

The police also raised concern over the misuse of the official South African Coat of Arms on the fabricated poster, saying it was misleading and unauthorised.

Authorities have urged members of the public to avoid sharing unverified content and to rely only on official government communication platforms for accurate information.

SAPS reiterated its call for responsible social media use, warning that the spread of false information can contribute to public fear and confusion.