The department of home affairs has vowed to take a tough stance in disciplinary proceedings of officials after a damning Special Investigating Unit (SIU) interim report which detailed visas were sold for as little as R500.
The department has been under investigation by the SIU after President Cyril Ramaphosa gave the green light in 2024 for a probe into maladministration, procedural irregularities and alleged misconduct within home affairs.
A recently released SIU interim report revealed some foreigners pay officials R500 to R3,000 to unlawfully obtain permits and visas.
On Friday the department said several officials were facing disciplinary proceedings after the interim report was released.
“The department has dismissed a further seven officials with immediate effect after the conclusion of disciplinary processes into cases of misconduct. Another 16 suspensions have been affected as part of ongoing disciplinary action, including in response to the findings emanating from the interim investigation report released by the SIU,” the department said.
Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber remains in the spotlight as the interim report is not the first to flag systematic fraud in the department.
According to the department, since last July 95 misconduct cases have been initiated for irregularities, of which 75 have been finalised.
“The decisive pace at which the department processes disciplinary matters, resulting in ongoing dismissals and other disciplinary action, demonstrates our unwavering commitment to cleaning up the damage done to home affairs over many years.
“Our zero-tolerance approach does not rely on words. It is demonstrated in concrete action to rebuild the rule of law in a department that is fundamental to the functioning of our society,” Schreiber said.
The SIU investigation entailed examination of the way the department administered and exercised its statutory functions in relation to the processing and issuance of permanent residence permits, different categories of visas including but not limited to corporate and business study, and work visas and applications for South African citizenship.
The SIU made 275 criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) against foreigners who obtained their visas but had submitted fraudulent supporting documents in their visa applications. The 275 referrals include officials of the department.
A report by Cassius Lubisi, former director-general in the Presidency, in 2022 revealed about 45,000 visas and permits were issued fraudulently between 2014 and 2021.
Business Day
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