South Africa suspends two officials over AI-invented policy sources

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs attached a reference list to its revised white paper on citizenship, immigration and refugee protection, which Cabinet had approved. The list held what appeared to be AI-fabricated sources. An early check found the paper's text never cited them, and they seemed to have been added afterward. On April 30, 2026, the department withdrew the list and apologized. It suspended a chief director and moved to suspend the director who drafted the paper. It hired law firms to run disciplinary proceedings and to audit every policy document since November 30, 2022. Staff must now declare their AI use.