SA flagging fake IDs, passports with foreign countries to chase down syndicates

News 24 – 04 June 2022

 

• Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says his department is chasing down syndicates selling fake IDs and passports.
• In many cases, Home Affairs officials are directly involved.
• Last month, a senior official was arrested for his involvement in a passport fraud syndicate.

The net is closing in on syndicates manufacturing and selling fake South African passports and IDs.

Following the arrest of a kingpin who allegedly sold fake IDs and passports, the Department of Home Affairs is chasing down those behind the syndicates.

According to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's response to a written parliamentary question from IFP's Liezl van der Merwe, fake IDs and passports were flagged domestically and across the country's borders.

Motsoaledi said when fraudulent documents were detected, the department's civic services branch referred the cases to the counter corruption branch.

If it involves department officials, the security services branch investigates the matter.

Immigration services' inspectorate division deals with matters relating to foreign nationals.

"Otherwise, cases are referred to the South African Police Services and other law enforcement agencies," he added.

In March, officials nabbed an alleged kingpin in a midnight sting operation in the department's Krugersdorp office.

At the time, the department vowed to follow up on all the members of the passport fraud syndicate, be they foreign nationals or South Africans.

Last month, Hlahla Mathebula, a senior official in the White River office in Mpumalanga, was arrested with four people who are allegedly part of the passport fraud syndicates.

The four were transported from Eldorado Park in Gauteng to the Home Affairs office in White River, to allegedly give up their identities for R500 per person.

Mathebula allegedly facilitated the identity transfer from South Africans to Pakistani nationals for a fee of R5 000 per passport.

According to the department, the alleged Pakistani kingpin received R40 000 from his countrymen who desired South African passports they were not entitled to.

The sting operation was carried out by Home Affairs' counter corruption branch, police, Hawks, Crime Intelligence, and other law enforcement agencies.

Officials are also in search of another senior official from the Praktiseer office in Burgersfort, Limpopo. The official evaded arrest in May by, allegedly, running to a sangoma.

Motsoaledi said once investigations were completed and documents were found to be fraudulent, a process to block it would start.

"The department follows a process to set markers to block, nullify and cancel the fraudulently issued identity documents and passports on the National Population Register as a means to maintain the credibility of the system in the country.

"The immigration service branch within the department is also involved in flagging such documents on the Movement Control System.

"As a result, a note verbale is also published and circulated through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation as a means to communicate to foreign countries regarding fake or fraudulently issued passports and identity documents," he added.

www.samigration.com

UK accused of blocking South Africans at airports unless they pass Afrikaans test

2 June 2022

 

Several South African passport holders who attempted to fly to and from the United Kingdom (UK) claim they had to pass a general knowledge quiz in Afrikaans before they could board their planes.

The frustrated travellers headed to Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit to share their experiences.

MyBroadband spoke to a South African expat who said she and her 11-year-old son were denied their boarding passes from Ireland West Airport Knock to the UK two weeks ago.

She got three out of the 15 questions wrong.

They were returning from a visit to her daughter in the Republic of Ireland for a weekend. She had lived in the UK with her husband for two-and-a-half years.

When arriving at the check-in counter, she was given the test — in Afrikaans.

The border control official told her that the form had been put in place by the British government.

While she had a relatively solid understanding of the language, she still asked for the test in English.

She explained that South Africa had 11 official languages and that she was not fluent in Afrikaans.

The official could not provide her with a test in another language and told the expat to do her best.

The test questions are reproduced in the table below, in the left-hand column. MyBroadband’s English translations of the questions are on the right.

General knowledge test questions for UK entry
Original question	English translation
Watter van die volgende is Suid-Afrikaanse hoofstede? (Keuses: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein)	Which of the following are South African capital cities? (Options: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein)
Wat is Suid-Afrika se amptelike geldeenheid?	What is South Africa’s official currency?
Noem drie van Suid-Afrika se amptelike tale.	Name three of South Africa’s official languages.
Aan watter kant van die pad moet ‘n mens bestuur in Suid-Afrika?	On which side of the road must you drive in South Africa?
Wat is Suid-Afrika se internasionale landkode?	What is South Africa’s international dialling code?
Wat is die naam van die grootste stad in Suid-Afrika?	What is the name of South Africa’s biggest city?
Wie is die huidige president van Suid-Afrika?	Who is the current president of South Africa?
Noem een van Suid-Afrika se nasionale vakansiedae.	Name one of South Africa’s national public holidays.
Wat is die naam van die hoogste berg in Suid-Afrika?	What is the name of the highest mountain in South Africa?
Wat is die naam van die bekende berg in Kaapstad wat sommige glo is een van die oudste berge in die wêreld?	What is the name of the famous mountain in Cape Town that some believe is one of the oldest in the world?
Wat is Suid-Afrika se nasionale blom?	What is South Africa’s national flower?
Wat is Suid-Afrika se nasionale dier?	What is South Africa’s national animal?
Waar is die Uniegebou?	Where are the Union Buildings?
Wat is Suid-Afrika se nasionale kleure?	What are South Africa’s national colours?
Watter een van die volgende is ‘n bekende Suid-Afrikaanse rivier?	Which of the following is a famous South African river?

MyBroadband has seen several photos online from different posters that appear to show varying copies of the test.

The expat said she saw no official stamps or branding on the questionnaire to indicate it was an official document. She also did not have to write down her passport or personal details.

She suspected her test was scanned and sent somewhere for verification.

Despite providing the officials with her and her sons’ biometric residence permits (BRPs), she was forced to leave the airport and return to her daughter after not getting full marks on the test.

She contacted her immigration consultant, who confirmed she had wrongly been refused the right to board as their visas and passports were valid.

Her husband then flew to Dublin to fetch them, and they managed to leave via Dublin Airport.

She suspected they managed to get through on the second attempt due to her husband’s British passport.

She described the experience as “terrible” and said it felt like she had been discriminated against.

Several other members of the South Africans living in London Facebook group complained about similar experiences.

One said they received the form while travelling from the UK to Dublin.

Another expat living in Dublin said an official told her if she could not complete the test in Afrikaans, it proved she was not South African.

Another South African working in the UK told SAfm that several of her colleagues with UK work permits were also presented with the form.

She said a friend flying from Ibiza airport to London was handed the test.

Many of the complaints seemed to be coming from travellers who had flights booked with Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair.

The British High Commission in South Africa said in a post on Twitter that the questionnaire was not a UK government requirement.

MyBroadband reached out to the British High Commission in South Africa, the Embassy for Ireland in South Africa, and Ryanair for comment on the test, but did not receive feedback by the time of publication.

We also contacted the Irish foreign affairs department, the South African High Commission in London, and the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation. None answered their phones or responded to text messages and email.

A South Africans in London group member claimed a forensic investigator who dealt with Home Affairs issues had told her the form was related to an influx of people carrying fraudulent South African passports entering Europe.

Independent crime and policing analyst Professor Johan Burger recently told The Sunday Times that the South African passport risked being devalued further as international crime syndicates were increasingly using it for illegal activities.

www.samigration.com

25 Illegal Immigrants Nabbed For Contravening Immigration Act

African News Agency/ANA

03-06-2022

At least 25 illegal foreign nationals has been arrested for contravening the Immigration Act, Cape Town Police said on Thursday.

The labour and home affairs departments accompanied by the police raided several Cape Town businesses alleged to be employing illegal immigrants after receiving complaints. The raids were conducted in China City in Milnerton and Canal Walk in Century City.

Twenty five illegal foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act.

”Random inspections at places of employment are conducted to ensure employers of foreign nationals comply with immigration laws. Employing foreigners who are not in possession of enabling documents is an offence. The department, working in partnership with other law enforcement agencies, will continue to enforce immigration legislation with no respite.’

”The number of those arrested is expected to increase as investigations are continuing. A manager at one of the restaurants visited will be charged for contravention of the Immigration Act, which prohibits employment of illegal foreign nationals in South Africa.”

The raids were carried out after several complaints were lodged with the departments.

www.samigration.com

 

Your Responsibilities as a South African Employer of Foreign Staff

SA Migration – 03 June 2022

n April 2022, Home Affairs Minister announced at a press conference that the Department of Home Affairs will be bolstering its immigration inspectorate to investigate companies employing foreign nationals without the correct documentation.

 CNCBAfrica reported that Minister Home Affairs  said the Department will spend R18 million over the next three years to recruit immigration inspectors to conduct raids on companies to ensure they are complying with legislation. The Department will look at a number of different sectors across South Africa’s economy, ranging from retail and construction to agriculture and hospitality.

This has been the second big announcement from the Department of Home Affairs this year regarding the employment of illegal immigrants. Back in February the Department made their decision to slap prison terms on employers of undocumented migrants known. At the time, Minister Home Affairs ’s spokesperson, , said that this will apply to all offenders, whether it’s the owner of a business or the head of a domestic household.

Why the sudden crackdown?

The truth is that the Department’s decisions are not out of the blue. Finding work in South Africa as a foreign national already became a lot tougher with the changes in immigration regulations in 2014.

The main motivation behind the changes was protecting the South African workforce. It is common knowledge that South Africa’s unemployment rate is at an all-time high.

That’s not to say the foreign worker isn’t protected. The Department of Home Affairs also put a number of measures in place to help ensure that foreign workers are treated fairly and equal to their South African counterparts.

Your responsibilities as a South African employer

To comply with South African immigration legislations, you have two main responsibilities as an employer:

• Do not employ illegal foreigners.
• Do not employ a foreigner in any position or allow a foreigner to perform a work function not allowed by his or her visa or permit.

In practice this means ascertaining the status or citizenship of employees. In the case of temporary and permanent citizens, but especially those on temporary visas, it will require asking for the visa or permit, and knowing what the documentation in front of you means.

In short, you could come across six different types of work visas and each allows for a different type of employment, while carrying a unique set of responsibilities for the employer. If you are unfamiliar with these, have a look at the explanations in our corporate visa section.

The repercussions of not complying with the Immigration Act

If it is found that you are employing illegal foreigners or employing foreigners outside of the allowances of their visa or permit, you could face a prison sentence, as mentioned, or a hefty fine. The fines have been noted in the Immigration Act and range from R7 000 to a possible R50 000 per person, depending on the contravention. Taking into consideration the attitude of the Department of Home Affairs, you can be certain that fines will be enforced and they will be harsh.

Contact Sa Migration  Immigration to help you comply

The Immigration Act is far from simple, so let Sa Migration  Immigration help you ensure that you comply with its regulations and requirements.

Our corporate immigration specialists work with South African companies and foreign nationals on a daily basis, so we are the best source of information and know-how.

To get in touch with us you can either call us on 082 373 8415  or email us at info@samigration.com

www.samigration.com

 

 

 

Raids force the closure of Pretoria Spar supermarket

The Citizen – 03 June 2022

The raids at two Spar outlets and a large Meat World butchery followed an anonymous tip-off about 'unscrupulous employers' breaking the law.

Police officers during a raid at the Elarduspark Spar in Pretoria, where they, along with the department of employment and labour, Sars and several other government departments, conducted a joint operation to investigate noncompliance of several laws.

A Spar supermarket was forced to close, 11 undocumented migrant workers were arrested and three employers were issued with fines in Pretoria yesterday when government inspectors swooped on companies found to be in contravention of various South African laws.

There were heightened tensions when inspectors from the department of employment and labour (DL), in partnership with the South African Police Service, the South Africa Revenue Service, Tshwane municipal health and fire department inspectors, the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, the departments of home affairs and agriculture, pounced on stores at Elarduspark and Mooikloof – run by what they regarded as “unscrupulous employers”.

According to DL spokesperson Mishack Magakwe, the raids at two Spar outlets and a large Meat World butchery followed an anonymous tip-off, that employers failed to comply with labour, immigration, health and safety regulations.

South African Police Service members along with multiple other departments raided the Elardus Park Spar and Meat World after receiving a tip off of their non compliance with health and safety regulations among other issues, 02 June 2022, Pretoria.

Heavily armed police, backed up the inspectors, entered the Spar and Meat World in Elarduspark, as well as in Mooikloof, and it was found that employers failed to:

• Pay employees a minimum wage, stipulated under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act;
• Comply with labour laws by paying for overtime;
• Register employees for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF);
• Ensure that foreign migrants had proper work permits;
• Register employees under the Compensation of Injuries and Diseases Act – making employers liable for a fine; and
• Provide payslips for employees.

Magakwe said the closed Elarduspark Spar was slapped with a 60-day notice to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

“At Meat World, department of agriculture inspectors found that employees were not supplied with the required protective clothing and equipment.

South African Police Service members along with multiple other departments raided the Elardus Park Spar and Meat World after receiving a tip off of their non compliance with health and safety regulations among other issues, 02 June 2022, Pretoria.

“They also found dry wors which was not good for human consumption due to a bad smell.

“Notices were handed to employers in connection with all the transgressions and failure to comply will lead to prosecution,” said Magakwe.

He said at the Mooikloof Spar, employees worked excessively beyond the 45-hour week without overtime being paid.

“If you are sick and produce a doctor’s note, you are turned away to stay at home for a week without being paid,” said Magakwe.

“Through these swoops, the message we are driving is that we have adopted zero tolerance when it comes to legal compliance by employers.

“Workers’ rights are human rights and our doors are open to both employers and employees for advice.

“People can also call us and report issues anonymously without disclosing their names.

“We have found instances where pregnant women cannot claim any benefit because employers have not registered them for the UIF.”

Employees found to have been undocumented migrants were detained at the Brooklyn police station and are to be handed over to the Lindela Repatriation Centre.

“But before the arrests, we forced employers to pay them a full salary due to them,” Magakwe said.

South African Police Service members along with multiple other departments raided the Elardus Park Spar and Meat World after receiving a tip off of their non compliance with health and safety regulations among other issues

www.samigration.com