

Home Affairs Corruption exposed
Jun 29 2015 – The New Age
Several touts and a police officer have been “caught” on camera allegedly taking bribes at the Marabastad offices of the Home Affairs Department.
In a special ANN7 investigation, an asylum seeker used a hidden camera to capture “touts and a police officer” involved
in what appears to be the taking of bribes outside the office which specialises in asylum seekers.
Each week thousands of foreigners queue outside the office in Pretoria to apply for temporary residency or asylum.
@ANN7tv These story is so real. Many Home Affairs officials are crooks. I feel sorry for what foreign nationals have to experience.
— Samuel Tshehla (@tshehla003) June 29, 2015
The queues start before dawn and so the touts in search of bribes to secure documents and preferential places in the snaking queue get prepared.
Our source was able to procure an affidavit for R50.
Using a hidden camera the source, who claimed to have lost his documents, paid a tout.
The tout then approached a police officer for the affidavit, which was signed and stamped by the police officer and filled in by the tout.
@amradebe_boroja Indeed. Whilst other news channels are busy being complacent, @ANN7tv is breaking new ground
— From A Writer’s Mind (@FAWMfb) June 29, 2015
Armed with his document our source then, with another R50, secured a place in a “special” queue.
In such there is a promise of “no fighting”.
Also it moves steadily towards the home affairs office door.
In various conversations caught on camera our source is also seen in discussion with a tout about other fees.
He is informed he will have to pay even more to have his papers put in order. In order to “make an appointment ” to go into the office, the tout tells the source he would be expected to pay R300 to R400 and once inside another R400.
According to the Home Affairs website there is no fee payable for eligibility and status determination interviews for asylum seekers or for a refugee ID.
In January, when ANN7 conducted an exposé at Marabastad, the Department of Home Affairs undertook to ensure the pockets of corruption there were dealt with.
Minister Malusi Gigaba gave a directive to his director-general Mkuseli Apleni to act decisively to rid the office of graft.
Department spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete, said yesterday that they took a dim view of officials engaged in illegal activities. “Our operations have netted people who are either in police custody or dismissed,” he said.
Department Home Affairs director general, Mkuseli Apleni, said in order for you get asylum you need to be persecuted in your home country. This can be religious, ethnic, sexual.
@ANN7tv These story is so real. Many Home Affairs officials are crooks. I feel sorry for what foreign nationals have to experience.
— Samuel Tshehla (@tshehla003) June 29, 2015
Having a colloquium to deal with immigration issues.
SAPS’ Brig Mashadi Selepe, said they were trying their best to root out corruption and were working with Home Affairs to deal with corruption.
-Kalden Ongmu