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06-03-2024 EWN

Some Chinese nationals use fake addresses in visa applications, portfolio committee hears

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the visa corruption was sophisticated.
• According to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, sophisticated officials are behind visa corruption.
• Several irregularities were uncovered with the issuing of visas to Chinese nationals.
• So far, 28 matters have been referred to the Hawks for further investigation and 94 matters are being considered for possible referral.
Investigations into violations of visa regulations has found that more than 3 000 Chinese nationals applied for South African visas and permits from a `nodal point`, and nearly 500 came from applicants who used the same address.
On top of this, another 477 applications came from Chinese nationals who applied for visas using addresses that were vacant (vacant erven), and 75 came from those who listed addresses that did not exist.
Details of these were shared by the multi-disciplinary task team the Department of Home Affairs had appointed to investigate corruption in the issuing of visas, permits and identity documents.
The task team, chaired by former top civil servant Cassius Lubisi, briefed the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday.
Forensic investigations specialist Peter Bishop, who is part of the task team, told the committee a preliminary analysis of available evidence led to the identification of an address as a nodal point referred to in at least 3 193 applications for various visas or permits by Chinese foreign nationals.
Two officials, who were stationed at the Beijing Mission in China, have been linked to these cases.
`The task team performed further data analysis and uncovered a further 187 applicants, warranting immediate further investigation as this number is rapidly escalating as further investigations are undertaken by the task team,` Bishop said.
`Relating to the broad identified address, certain specific addresses utilised: 477 appear to relate to vacant erven whilst in respect of other addresses, 75, appear to be non-existent. Further investigation is ongoing. In certain instances, the same address was utilised by up to 488 applicants, being highly unusual,` Bishop said.
The task team conducted a data analysis into three identified applicants, the following was established:
• links with at least eight DHA officials;
• links with 115 other foreign nationals;
• links with 17 South African nationals; and
• links with 34 businesses.
`Due to the extensive networks related to these three identified applicants, both intra and extra the DHA, a high likelihood exists that syndication related to irregular and/or unlawful activities may be uncovered as investigations related thereto progress,` Bishop said.
Furthermore, 115 instances in which officials were implicated in potentially unlawful and irregular activities were uncovered.
There were 78 instances in which questionable medical reports had been submitted and 76 in which questionable radiological reports had been submitted.
Regarding retirement visas and permits, the initial investigation focused on 3 530 retired person visa applications and visas issued.
During this process, it is alleged that similar documentation was used in retirement person visa applications.
`On the face of it, such individuals appear too young to be retiring. Preliminary findings to date have identified a number of officials involved, with three department officials appearing to have processed the bulk thereof,` Bishop said.
Regarding disciplinary matters, 27 charge sheets have been finalised and submitted to the department.
Five disciplinary hearings have commenced and are proceeding while 10 disciplinary matters have proposed set down dates.
Twelve disciplinary matters have been concluded, nine officials have been dismissed and one dismissal is the subject of an appeal.
Two officials have resigned.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the visa corruption was sophisticated.
`This report came about with [Shepherd] Bushiri. While we were working on fixing things, there were 14 officials who had asked us to not investigate their errors. They did not see their errors as corruption. This people have covered their tracks very well. The sit and plan which mistakes they should not make,` he said.
IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe said the department was dragging its feet in investigating matters.
She said:
If applicants supply fraudulent information, why don`t we just block them. We do not have the capacity to investigate all these matters. Officials have also resigned, and we don`t always investigate it further. This is not right.
DA MP Adrian Roos said the corruption stemmed from years ago.
`The time that has been spent on the investigation could have been used to reduce the visa backlog. I have also not seen, allocations to IT projects that seek to upgrade the system. There are several red flags,` he said.
Bishop said the department sought legal advice and it was recommended that in cases where applicants had obtained visas through fraudulent means, the visas must be annulled.
`Upon the annulment of their visas, these individuals should be deported,` Bishop said.

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