(Photo: For illustration/ iStock)
An investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SUE) at the Department of Home Affairs revealed that visas and residence permits in practice affected commodities that generated financial profits of more than R181 million.
The SOE investigated serious maladministration in relation to visa issuance and related matters from 12 October 2004 to 16 February 2024 at the department.
Leonard Lekgetho, chief operating officer at the SOE, said at a media conference on Monday that the investigation shows that the country’s borders were not protected by law, but were auctioned off by corruption.
“South Africa sold one permit at a time. The SOE revealed a disturbing reality. South Africa’s immigration system was run as a market, where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder,” said Lekgetho.
The investigation was conducted by pres. Cyril Ramaphosa authorized under Proclamation 154 of 2024. An interim report detailing the outcomes was presented to Ramaphosa and made public.
According to Lekgetho, the corruption was not accidental, but organized and deliberate. Officials entrusted with protecting the integrity of the department allegedly turned their positions into “profitable schemes” and collaborated with external actors and syndicates to manipulate systemic weaknesses.
Lekgetho emphasized that the SOE has detected financial gains of more than R181 million related to beneficiaries of fraudulent visa applications, which were supported by false documents.
Leonard Lekgetho, chief operating officer at the SOE, said at a media conference on Monday that the investigation shows that the country’s borders were not protected by law, but were auctioned off by corruption. (Photo: SOE/ X)
The SOE began investigating the department after a whistleblower claimed that foreign nationals were entering South Africa by obtaining false visas and later using those permits to apply for permanent residence and eventually citizenship.
The SOE obtained a special order and with the help of the directorate for priority crime investigation (Hawks) searched sections. Some 237 electronic items were confiscated for forensic analysis.
Mobile phone data revealed direct communication between officials and foreign nationals, with payments ranging from R500 to R3 000 via eWallet to facilitate illegal approvals.
The payments were allegedly hidden in various ways. Cash was reportedly hidden inside application forms and the office doors were closed to avoid any CCTV cameras. However, this was just one of many techniques to hide payments.
Lekgetho says the investigation has revealed that four officials who earn less than R25 000 per month apparently received R16.3 million worth of deposits directly into their accounts.
(Photo: For illustration/ iStock)
One of these four persons received deposits totaling R8.9 million through a construction company registered in his partner’s name, among other payments referring to “PRP” (permanent residence permit). At least R185 000 was directly linked to PRP applications.
Mobile phone data also revealed that applications were sent via WhatsApp for approval and, once approved, payments followed almost immediately.
In one case, a permit was approved on 20 December and R3 000 was deposited into the official’s partner’s account the following day. In another case, R6 000 was transferred days after two permits had been approved.
“The findings make one thing clear: South Africa’s immigration system was treated as a commodity. Permits and visas were sold, approved in illegal ways,” said Lekgetho.
In addition to visa payments, the SOE discovered broader identity manipulation schemes.
(Photo: For illustration/ iStock)
In collaboration with Interpol, investigating officers identified a pattern where foreign nationals allegedly conspired with officials to gain unauthorized access to offices of internal affairs. Fingerprints of South African citizens were used while application photos were replaced with those of foreign citizens to obtain South African passports.
The SOE warned that visas that are issued in a corrupt and fraudulent manner pose complex challenges across sectors, including property, transport, banking, healthcare, infrastructure and the policy itself.
“These findings show that corruption in the visa system is not accidental. It is organized, deliberate and devastating to public trust. Integrity is being betrayed,” said Lekgetho.
(Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/ GroundUp)
What does the minister have to say?
Dr. Leon Schreiber, Minister of the Interior. (Photo: Ntswe Mokoena/GCIS)
Dr. Interior Minister Leon Schreiber says over the past 20 months, the Government of National Unity (GNE) has acted with urgency and focus to tackle the causes of these decades of damage.
According to Schreiber, the aim is to restore the rule of law in domestic affairs and apparently steps have already been taken against the officials “who got away with this misconduct for a long time”.
Around 20 officials have already undergone disciplinary processes and were apparently already removed from their positions in April last year.
Schreiber says he has also requested the director-general to write to the Department of Public Service and Administration as well as the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs to ensure that these former officials are not re-employed by the state while their criminal proceedings continue.
(Archive photo)
Over the past two financial years, a total of 75 disciplinary cases have been completed, resulting in an additional 16 suspensions without pay and 22 written warnings.
“This work has also led to a number of referrals for criminal prosecution, and I want to encourage the National Prosecuting Authority to prioritize these cases as part of our joint efforts to restore the rule of law,” says Schreiber.
According to him, the department has also identified more than 2,000 study visas that were fraudulently issued by these syndicates.
“Administrative processes are now underway to cancel these visas and we will also highlight any subsequent visas obtained by the same individuals to ensure that all irregularly obtained documents are canceled and that offenders are deported or prosecuted as necessary.
“As confirmed by the SOE, it is paper-based and manual processes that have long created room for rogue officials to overlook fraudulent documents or approve applications that do not meet the relevant regulatory requirements. We are closing all those manual processes and replacing them with new, modern digital systems that leave no room for manipulation.”
According to him, the new system rejected more than 30,000 applications that did not meet the relevant requirements for tourist visas.
This is reportedly done using machine learning to verify the authenticity of documents such as passports.