The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) said while it respected the independence of the judiciary and its mandate to interpret the Constitution, it firmly believes that the right to citizenship must be treated “with the seriousness it deserves”, arguing against dual citizenship for South Africans.

The party noted Tuesday’s Constitutional Court judgment, which declared Section 6(1)(a) of the South African Citizenship Act unconstitutional, saying it was not surprised that this matter was taken to court by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA celebrated the victory of its application to secure the citizenship of South Africans with dual nationality.

The DA argued the constitutional invalidity of a section of the Citizenship Act, which terminated the South African citizenship of persons who did not apply for a retention-of-citizenship before voluntarily obtaining a secondary citizenship in another country.

The section had previously meant South Africans who voluntarily acquired citizenship in another country would automatically forfeit their South African citizenship unless they applied to retain it beforehand.

The ANCYL accused the DA of serving the interests of “foreign and elitist forces”.

“Their actions once again expose who they are working for: those who exploit our laws to escape accountability and avoid real contribution to our national development,” it said.

Citizenship, the ANCYL argued, was not a mere administrative status, but a commitment to a country, its people, and its future.

The ANCYL expressed concerns that the court ruling opened the door to “dual loyalties”, as it believed that the country needed “focused, active citizens”.

“South Africans must decide: are you in or are you out? One cannot enjoy the privileges of being South African while pledging allegiance to another State,” it said, stating that national identity must be protected from dilution.

The ANCYL has invited the youth to make submissions to the ongoing constitutional review process.

“This is an opportunity for the youth to raise their voices on matters that affect their future and ensure that our Constitution reflects the lived realities and aspirations of this generation. Submissions can be made through the official platforms provided by Parliament, and we encourage all progressive youth to seize this moment,” the ANCYL said.

It further called for a national discussion on “the meaning of citizenship” in a post-Apartheid democratic State.

“…we cannot allow our laws to be hijacked by those with dual passports and divided interests, who run to South Africa when it's convenient and abandon it when it's time to contribute meaningfully. We remain committed to advancing the interests of young people who have no other home but South Africa, and who are ready to build and defend it with everything they have,” the Youth League said.