IN CONVERSATION WITH Mmemme Mogotsi

The Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr. Michael Masiapato, has responded to a widely circulated message falsely claiming that, from May 2025, all individuals born in South Africa must enter or exit the country using only a South African passport or face fines, arrest, or a criminal record.The BMA categorically denies these claims, stating they are false and misleading. No new law was introduced in May 2025 regarding how South African citizens travel in or out of the country. The current legal framework remains unchanged and is still governed by the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (as amended). Under this law, South Africans—regardless of dual citizenship—are required to use their valid South African passport when entering or leaving the country.