The arrest of Indian and Bangladeshi nationals with fraudulent visas sends a strong message to fraudsters and corrupt officials

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, welcomes the arrest of an Indian and a Bangladeshi national who were found in possession of fraudulent visas during a law enforcement operation in the Western Cape.


The pair was arrested at the Eersterivier Shopping Complex, in Eersterivier, in the Western Cape, on Thursday morning, 07 December 2023, during an operation conducted by Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch and the Inspectorate. They are detained at the Kleinvlei Police Station and are scheduled to appear in the Kleinvlei Magistrate Court on Monday.


On the same day, in another routine operation at the Cape Town International Airport, the same team of Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch and Inspectorate intercepted eleven (11) Bangladeshi nationals and three (03) Pakistani nationals. After interviews, five (05) Bangladeshi nationals and three (03) Pakistani nationals were refused entry into South Africa as they were in possession of fraudulent visas. 


“The Counter Corruption Branch is working tirelessly to crack the networks behind the issuance of these fraudulent visas and from time to time conducts targeted law enforcement operations. The commemoration of International Anti-Corruption Day has strengthened our resolve to root out corruption wherever it rears its ugly head”, says Minister Motsoaledi.