Home Affairs officials are in trouble for fraudulently using foreigners' images on passports.
Opera News | 25 Nov 2022
Four officers from the Department of Home Affairs have been arrested by the Hawks following charges of fraud and corruption, according to reports coming out of Durban.
It is alleged that the Tzaneen officials, who ranged in age from 35 to 43, conspired with "runners" to recruit South African citizens to apply for the passports.
A sting operation involving members of the Hawks and the Home Affairs Counter Corruption and Security units was carried out in the Tzaneen area on Wednesday. The suspects, who were employed as administration clerks, were taken into custody during the operation.
It is alleged that during the application process, the passports would contain the particulars of South African citizens, but the photos would be of illegal foreign nationals, as stated by Captain Matimba Maluleke, the spokesperson for the Hawks. Maluleke was quoted as saying that this occurred.
According to Maluleke, the "illegal acts" in question were identified in May of this year by the Home Affairs Counter Corruption and Security unit, which then forwarded the subject to the Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation.
During the course of the investigations, it was discovered that each of the citizens whose personal information was utilized would receive R1000 as compensation.
On Friday, it is anticipated that each of the four suspects will make an appearance in the Tzaneen Magistrate's Court.
According to the Hawks, the investigation was still continuing, and they were still looking for further people who might be involved.
Since the beginning of this year, eight officers have been terminated for issuing false passports, according to Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, who stated a month ago that four officials had been brought before a disciplinary inquiry for their involvement in the scandal.
IOL claimed that during the course of the previous three years, a total of 500 passports were found to contain fake information, and 185 passports along with their numbers were barred from the National Population Register.
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