Pretoria: The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has issued recommendations for the Department of Home Affairs to conduct thorough vetting of its employees to tackle vulnerabilities within South Africa's immigration system. This call forms part of a comprehensive response to findings that reveal extensive exploitation of the system.
According to South African Government News Agency, the SIU's investigation was commissioned by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024. The interim report, already submitted to the President, describes a situation where South Africa's immigration system functioned like a marketplace, with permits and visas being sold to the highest bidder. Leonard Lekgetho, Acting Head of the SIU, highlighted that officials within the Department of Home Affairs were implicated in corrupt activities, turning their roles into profit-making schemes with external actors manipulating systemic weaknesses for fraudulent residency permits.
Lekgetho shared that a whistleblower had alerted the SIU to allegations of foreign nationals fraudulently obtaining asylum seeker permits, later using them to apply for permanent residency and citizenship. The SIU discovered collusion between foreign nationals and corrupt Home Affairs officials, allowing permits to be issued without proper merit assessment. The investigation, supported by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), involved searches at Refugee Reception Offices, leading to the seizure of digital devices and files for forensic analysis. Payment methods included cash hidden in application forms, e-Wallet transfers, and in-kind payments, all aimed at disguising illicit transactions.
The investigation further exposed a "nefarious syndicate," consisting of department officials engaged in corrupt practices. Four officials, earning below R25,000 monthly, received over R16 million in direct deposits. Evidence pointed to significant asset acquisitions disproportionate to their salaries, including luxury properties and infrastructure developments. The SIU found that the permit system operated as a "marketplace," with expedited approvals exchanged for payments funneled through family members' accounts to disguise bribes.
The SIU also traced over R181 million linked to fraudulent visa applications, emphasizing the widespread nature of corruption. Further findings revealed identity fraud schemes, where foreign nationals obtained South African passports for illegal activities abroad. The SIU recommended stricter controls on passport photographs and physical access to Home Affairs offices to prevent internal collusion.
Additionally, the SIU uncovered DNA manipulation in Permanent Residence Permit applications, further complicating the integrity of the immigration system. The agency highlighted the systemic abuse of the retirement visa category due to a lack of clear guidelines, which contributed to manipulation and fraud.
To address these issues, the SIU proposed several measures, including strengthening contract management, ethical training for employees, comprehensive system integration, and enhanced verification processes before visa issuance. These recommendations aim to restore trust and integrity in South Africa's immigration system, highlighting the organized and deliberate nature of corruption that has undermined public confidence.