DA hails ConCourt decision as victory for South Africans stripped of their citizenship through dual nationality

Thabo Shole Mashao (in for 702's John Perlman) is joined by Eyewitness News reporter Zoleka Qodashe.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has hailed the Constitutional Court's decision to affirm a ruling by the Supreme Court which declares a certain section of the Citizenship Act unconstitutional and invalid.

The section stipulates that South Africans lose their citizenship after voluntarily acquiring the nationality of another country.

Those affected who want to retain their South African citizenship would need to apply to the Minister of Home Affairs to do so.

The DA says the ruling in favour of the application it brought  to secure the citizenship of South Africans with dual nationality also means that all South Africans who inadvertently lost their citizenship, have the right to get it restored.

EWN's Zoleka Qodashe explains that it is the Constitutional Court that has to confirm it when a statute is declared unlawful, for that order to take effect.

"This case specifically relates to people that were even unaware that they had lost their citizenship in South Africa. You have people who go and work in different parts of the world for employment purposes... and may need visas to stay there for long periods."

Zoleka Qodashe, Reporter - Eyewitness News"

"The DA highlighted the case of Mr Plakkies who allegedly left the country several years ago for work and was unaware that his citizenship in SA had been revoked. What the Constitutional Court confirmation now means is that anyone who has suffered that loss prior, their citizenship is now reinstated."

Zoleka Qodashe, Reporter - Eyewitness News

Qodashe says the order has a retrospective effect, in that people like Mr Plakkes never lost their citizenship to begin with.

"The court struck that from the Act, which means if is effective immediately."

Zoleka Qodashe, Reporter - Eyewitness News

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