US EditionSouth Africa: DA Constitutional Court Victory Protects Citizenship for South Africans
- The Constitutional Court ruled on May 9, 2025, in favour of the Democratic Alliance to overturn a law that stripped South Africans of citizenship for acquiring another nationality.
- This decision marks the end of a decade-long legal dispute initiated by the DA, which contested a provision in South African nationality law that automatically revoked citizenship without providing prior notification.
- The Court unanimously declared the section unconstitutional from its 1995 promulgation, recognizing that affected South Africans who acquired second citizenship in good faith never lawfully lost their citizenship.
- Justice Steven Majiedt stated, "no citizen may be deprived of citizenship," emphasizing the irrationality of automatic citizenship termination without warning or justification.
- This ruling reinstates citizenship for close to two million South Africans living overseas and establishes that any changes to citizenship must adhere to constitutional requirements.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Concourt delivers relief for South Africans with dual citizenship – The Mail & Guardian
The constitutional court has upheld an appeal court ruling which struck down a provision of the Citizenship Act in terms of which South Africans were stripped of their nationality when they acquired citizenship of another country. In a unanimous ruling penned by Justice Steven Majiedt, the apex court held that section 6(1)(a) of the act was irrational. All those who have lost their citizenship as a result of the provision in the Act, from its pr…
SA citizenship law is unconstitutional, apex court rules
The South African Citizenship Act stripped citizenship from South Africans who took another country’s citizenship. Now the Constitutional Court has confirmed a Supreme Court ruling that found a section of the Act to be arbitrary and irrational.
ConCourt victory for South Africans who acquired second citizenship
The Constitutional Court on Tuesday declared that section 6(1)(a) of the South African Citizenship Act of 1995 is inconsistent with the constitution and is invalid from its promulgation in October 1995.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources lean Left
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
