ANC MP Supra Mahumapelo Moves to Strip Citizens of Nationality — For Speaking Abroad

Speculation has it that South African MP Supra Mahumapelo has stoked a firestorm of controversy by calling for the expulsion of foreign nationals who spread misinformation about the country.

Free expression and democratic rights in South Africa are concerns of the plan’s detractors, who include opposition groups and constitutional watchdogs.

After reviewing the evidence, Mahumapelo concluded that four organizations—AfriForum, Solidarity, Lex Libertas, and the Freedom Front Plus—were responsible for damaging South Africa’s reputation during their meeting with officials in Washington, D.C. Supposedly, he has pushed for a measure that would grant the government the power to revoke citizenship from those whose foreign statements he views as dangerous to the country.

Immediately upon learning about the reported scheme, the South African Free Speech Union (FSU-SA) condemned it. Gerrie Mulder, the organization’s director, said it was one of the worst threats to civil liberties they’ve seen since democracy was implemented in 1994.

Citizenship, in Mulder’s view, should not be a weapon in the hands of those in authority who oppose or question the government.

Not to mention that the notion has raised some serious constitutional difficulties. The right to citizenship is protected in Section 20 of the South African Constitution, whereas Section 16 guarantees the freedom of speech, which includes the exchange of ideas and political discussion.

Experts in constitutional law have reportedly stated that a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly is required to amend the constitution, and that there would be substantial constitutional obstacles to enacting such a plan.

As of yet, however, the proposal has not been formally addressed by legislation. Neither a proposed bill nor any indication that the matter has been sent to a legislative committee has been disclosed, as far as anyone can tell. The proposal’s official endorsement by the ANC leadership is still unknown.

Although the accusations are still unclear, they have reignited debates about the limits of political criticism and the government’s responsibility to protect democratic rights.

Sceptics argue that punishing people for expressing political opinions abroad would make it harder to criticise powerful people fairly and reduce accountability. Consequently, the guarantee of the right to peaceful assembly and expression has been the focal point of the constitutional debate in South Africa.

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