JOHANNESBURG — South African police have warned that individuals wearing blue and orange uniforms and operating as volunteers in Johannesburg are not legally authorized to stop members of the public, search them, or demand identification documents such as passports or national IDs.
Authorities emphasized that only law enforcement officers and authorized officials from the Department of Home Affairs have the legal power to verify a person’s immigration status or request official identification in the course of their duties.
Police urged residents and foreign nationals to report any incidents in which unauthorized individuals attempt to intimidate, harass, search, or demand documents from them.
“If anyone who is not a police officer or authorized Home Affairs official stops you and demands your ID or passport, you have the right to report the matter to the police,” authorities said.
The warning comes amid growing concerns about incidents of xenophobia and reports of self-appointed groups targeting migrants and foreign nationals in parts of Johannesburg.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for respect for the rule of law, stressing that immigration enforcement must be carried out by authorized state institutions and not by private individuals or volunteer groups.
Police reiterated that all people living in South Africa, regardless of nationality, are entitled to protection under the law and should not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, or unlawful searches.
