South African officials propose citizenship loss for spreading misinformation abroad

South African International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has expressed support for a proposal to introduce stricter legal measures against citizens accused of spreading misinformation about the country abroad. The suggestion, raised by Supra Mahumapelo, chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, includes the possibility of stripping citizenship from individuals deemed to be harming the nation's international standing.

Mahumapelo specifically accused organizations such as AfriForum, Solidarity, Lex Libertas, and the Freedom Front Plus of damaging relations between South Africa and the United States through their engagements with American lawmakers. He suggested these activities could potentially constitute treason.

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) and opposition members of Parliament, who argue that such legislation would violate constitutional protections regarding freedom of expression. While Minister Lamola maintained that free speech has limits regarding false information, critics contend that protecting the right to political criticism is essential to the country's post-1994 constitutional order.