Identity Crisis at South African Home Affairs

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in South Africa has suspended two senior officials following the discovery of fabricated references—dubbed “hallucinations”—in a draft policy document.

The affected individuals are a chief director and a director who worked on the Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration, and Refugee Protection. The DHA spokesperson confirmed that these inaccurate citations were not included in the final version approved by cabinet on March 26.

This incident highlights growing concerns about the use of AI-generated content in government documentation. Earlier this year, South Africa’s communications department faced similar criticism for an AI policy containing fabricated references. The DHA is now auditing all policy documents produced since November 30, 2022—the date ChatGPT was released to the public.

The suspensions come amid political tensions as members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) party, including spokesperson Leon Schreiber, face scrutiny from parliamentarians in the ruling African National Congress (ANC). While Minister Solly Malatsi recently appeared before a parliamentary committee, Schreiber opted for immediate action by suspending those responsible—a contrast to how similar issues have been handled in other government departments.

The incident serves as a cautionary tale for organizations adopting AI technologies, emphasizing the need for rigorous fact-checking and human oversight.