The Cabinet has condemned the circulation of fake videos and images that falsely claim to show attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. In its statement after the Cabinet meeting of 6 May 2026, released on 7 May, government said the material is being used to inflame tensions around immigration and damage South Africa’s reputation abroad.

The wording matters. Government is not saying every concern about intimidation or violence is fabricated. It is saying that specific viral videos and images shared as proof of attacks are fake and are being weaponised in an already volatile debate over jobs, migration and public order.

Real protests, real pressure, but also misinformation

That warning lands at a sensitive moment. South Africa has seen anti-illegal immigration protests in several areas, while foreign governments have also raised concerns over the safety of their nationals. Nigeria has already summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner and said 130 Nigerians want voluntary repatriation after the latest anti-immigration protests.

Cabinet says South Africans have the right to protest the country’s “spiralling illegal immigration challenge”, but added that violence linked to those protests is unacceptable and must be dealt with by law enforcement. It also condemned attempts to exploit public frustration over unemployment and economic hardship by stirring attacks on foreign nationals and tribal sentiment.

State pushes enforcement and damage control

Government says it is continuing with tighter immigration enforcement through stronger border management, faster deportations, labour inspections and tougher by-law enforcement. A separate government statement issued on 29 April also urged the public not to take the law into its own hands and said concerns about illegal immigration should be reported lawfully to SAPS and immigration authorities.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made a similar point in his Freedom Day address, warning that concern over illegal migration must not become prejudice against fellow Africans. He said government was clamping down on illegal migration and corruption in the system, but would not allow vigilantism.

South Africa’s balancing act gets harder

The real challenge now is credibility. Government must show it can deal with illegal immigration lawfully, respond to genuine incidents of violence, and stop false material from driving panic and diplomatic fallout. Cabinet’s message is that both things can be true at once: fake videos are spreading, and any real violence remains unacceptable.