SA Migration International

Articles

31-08-2023 News24

Home Affairs officials irregularly facilitated SA passports for foreigners during lockdown

• The Department of Home Affairs has told Parliament that their officials irregularly facilitated SA passports for foreigners while the country was in lockdown.
• The department is also investigating nearly 300 000 unauthorised cross-border movements which were registered on its central management system.
• On Tuesday, MPs were briefed on the department’s effort to root out corruption in the issuance of visas and permits.
When the country was in the chokehold of the Covid-19 lockdown, rogue home affairs officials irregularly facilitated South African passports for foreign nationals.
On top of this, investigations into nearly 300 000 unauthorised cross-border movements are under way and over 3 000 retirement visas have come under the microscope.
As the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) continues to unravel a litany of illegal and irregular actions, the figures paint a clear picture of corruption running deep within the government’s most important departments.
On Tuesday, Parliament’s Committee on Home Affairs was briefed on the progress made by the department to investigate the illegal issuing of visas and other documents.
Former top civil servant, Cassius Lubisi, chairs a task team established to review all permits issued since 2004 - the year in which the Immigration Act came into operation.
Forensic investigations specialist Peter Bishop, who is part of the task team, told MPs they uncovered transactions on the movement control system (MCS) that were created by the irregular users.
Bishop said:
Investigation has commenced, and 285 427 matters were identified for further investigation and action, ostensibly involving unauthorised DHA users that processed movements across South African borders.
He also said some DHA officials allegedly assisted foreign nationals to obtain South African passports irregularly.
This occurred during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown.
“So far, 111 matters have been identified for further investigation,” he said.
Bishop said there was a significant increase of applications for retirement visas between 2016 and 2018.
He said an investigation into the issuance of retirement visas had commenced.
He added that 3 530 visa matters were identified for investigation `relating to retirement visas or permits for young applicants, work or a spousal relationship visa to entitle the applicants to work in South Africa`.
Bishop also reported that visa applications were rejected due to fraudulent documents submitted but then new applications were approved.
“All 4 160 applications that were rejected due to fraudulent documents submitted but applicants later applied for other visa and permit types which were approved,” he said.
Regarding this, he said 10 matters were under investigation; and six criminal referrals were en route to the Hawks.
Bishop also said investigations into missing visa or permit control numbers had started.
According to him, 1 115 visas were ostensibly issued to foreign nationals, where it appears that certain visa labels may not have been issued by the DHA.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Njabulo Nzuza said criminals and syndicates were not sitting back.
He said:
When we improve our systems, they also try to improve ways in which they can break our system. Our fight is consistent, and our approach is now that we always have to be a step ahead. This panel has really helped to be steps ahead and prevent some of the things that occurred.
He also said the notion that only junior officials were being targeted was skewed.
“The organisational structure of home affairs, the majority [of the] people that you employ are at junior level. As you go up in the ranks, you have fewer and fewer people. In the permitting division, we had a chief director and we dealt with that matter.
“You have to deal with that one chief director or deputy director-general responsible. This is why it seems like we are less interested in deal[ing] with the top structure because we have less officials to deal with. You deal with one, you deal with the problem,” he said.
ANC MP Bongani Bongo said the department needed to move with visa and permit applications as there were several outstanding.
He also said the only officials targeted for disciplinary proceedings were the “extremely junior ones”.
“They are not talking about the officials of the higher levels. Big instructions involved directors and DDGs,” he said.
DA MP Adrian Roos said the longer investigations took, the more the department’s capacity to produce legal visas and permits were limited.

V.4954

Deprecated: Function strftime() is deprecated in /home/samiglpg/public_html/article_full_V01.php on line 324
27. Aug. 2024 Sowetan Live

Court rules in favour of traditional wife and nullifies civil marriage

Hilda Sedinjane turned to the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane for an order that she be recognised as the true wife of deceased Seabela Malatji. The parties concluded a customary marriage in 1988 as evidenced by a lobola certificate and four children were born of the marriage. V.5574

Articles

Articles

Home Affairs officials irregularly facilitated SA passports for foreigners during lockdown

Court rules in favour of traditional wife and nullifies civil marriage

�Outdated systems expose Home Affairs�

Home Affairs committee wants inspectorate unit strengthened to track foreign nationals

Two more people caught over IDs-for-sale scam

How to apply for Greece tourist visa: A step-by-step guide

Austria Job Seeker VISA With Family VISA Application Process

Deadly Marabastad stampede sheds light on struggles of undocumented migrants in SA

New Zealand: Emigration soars amid economic woes

New Zealand: Emigration soars amid economic woes

Visa backlog: Portfolio committee welcomes overtime approval for Home Affairs officials

While Schreiber wants to bring dignity to Home Affairs, xenophobia rears its head in budget debate

Judge slams law firm for misleading court with `cut-and-paste` applications targeting refugees

How to get your new Smart ID at a bank

How stolen home affairs stamp led to cleaner`s bust

Spaza shop owners cry foul regarding Gauteng government funding

Identity fraud rockets in SA

Father unable to register his son because he is not the mother

People leave New Zealand in record numbers as economy bites

De Lille calls for concerted efforts for tourism to grow SA economy

Driven by a desire for a luxurious lifestyle

Visa Categories

Head Office

Cape Town, Tel : +27 (0) 82 373 8415

South Africa , Tel : +27 (0) 74 036 6127

Articles

Court rules in favour of traditional wife and nullifies civil marriage

Testimonials

Testimonials are the best way we can show how satisfied our clients are with us and they are our best advertisement. Just look what our clients have to say about SAMI!

Jennifer and Jimmy Wahlberg - Sweden

Free Newsletters

Newsletters are always the best way to keep our clients informed of the rapid changes in the immigration world and we can update you in this regard by you subscribing to our free newsletter.

Enhance your knowledge