South Africa Disavows Migrant Expulsion Deadline as Vigilante Misinformation

South Africa's government has explicitly rejected a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave, clarifying the deadline originated from vigilante groups on social media, not state policy. President Cyril Ramaphosa called it unnecessary on June 7. The Inter-Ministerial Committee reinforced this on June 26, condemning violent social media incitement tied to the date. The distinction matters: the vigilante deadline, amplified online, risked being treated as official policy by frightened migrants and foreign governments.