Corrupt Home Affairs officials sell visas, permits, and citizenship documentation in South Africa

The Special Investigating Unit uncovered systemic corruption in the Department of Home Affairs, with officials selling visas, permits and citizenship documentation.

This was revealed in a Parliamentary question-and-answer session, where Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber shed light on corruption in his department.

He explained that the Special Investigating Unit’s investigation into the Department of Home Affairs remains ongoing.

This is why he could not release detailed case information and evidence which emerged from the investigation.

However, he did shed light on the action they took when fraud is confirmed through the conclusion of administrative, forensic, or criminal investigations.

“The Department has treated the findings of the SIU with the utmost seriousness and has taken decisive action against all employees implicated in wrongdoing,” he said.

He explained that Human Resource Management and Development is attending internal disciplinary proceedings.

“The implicated officials have also been referred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) for criminal prosecution,” he said.

He cited one case, where an official offered an investigator in the Counter Corruption and Security Services (CC&SS) unit a R10,000 bribe.

“The R10,000 bribe was to halt the probe into an investigation into the irregular issuance and approval of visas,” Schreiber said.

The Department of Home Affairs official was sentenced to three years of direct imprisonment for his actions.

He provided data on the crackdown in the Department of Home Affairs related to corruption and related activities.

• 65 officials have been dismissed from the Department of Home Affairs since 1 July 2024.

• 16 officials from the Department of Home Affairs have been suspended during the same period.

• 9 officials have, since 1 July 2024, been convicted for flouting the Department of Home Affairs regulations

He said that the Department has implemented a layered control environment to safeguard the National Population Register (NPR) against compromise.