White Paper AI Misstep: Home Affairs Expected to Suspend Director on Monday
Johannesburg – A director involved in creating the Cabinet-approved Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection, which has been called out for incorporating bogus references generated by artificial intelligence (AI), is set to be suspended on Monday.
The Department of Home Affairs has already placed a chief director from the pertinent unit on suspension due to the significant error.
In a statement released to The Bulrushes on Thursday, 30 April 2026, the department announced that two senior officials would be suspended.
The precautionary suspension of the chief director occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, 30 April 2026.
“The suspension of a director involved in the drafting will take effect on Monday, 4 May 2026,” the statement indicated.
This action follows the discovery of glaring AI “hallucinations” listed as references attached to the recently Cabinet-approved Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection.
An initial internal review suggests that the issue is linked to the reference list included with the Revised White Paper.
“It appears that these references were generated and retrospectively attached to the document, as they are absent from the main text,” the statement elaborated.
“As a result, the department has retracted the reference list while an independent investigation is conducted to determine how these hallucinations were incorporated.”
“Nevertheless, the substance of the Revised White Paper accurately represents the government’s stance on the necessary policy reforms in these areas.”
The department emphasized that these measures emerged from a thorough process of interdepartmental coordination and public engagement and were not significantly impacted by the apparent AI hallucinations in the separate reference list.
Nonetheless, the department expressed its “sincere apologies for this unacceptable oversight.”
Looking ahead, the department stated it would design and implement AI checks and declarations as part of its internal approval protocols.
This marks the second instance in which a White Paper has been criticized for negligence in using fictitious references generated by AI.
Last month, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi announced the retraction of the “Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy” following an internal review.
“In light of the discoveries that the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy published for public feedback contained various fabricated sources in its reference list, we initiated internal inquiries, which have now confirmed this issue,” Minister Malatsi said.
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