A Home Affairs official has been arrested after being caught allegedly fraudulently issuing visas to Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens.
- The Department of Home Affairs has revoked 100 visas which an official in Windhoek, Namibia, allegedly fraudulently issued to Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens.
- The secretary for civics and immigration services based at South Africa‘s mission in Windhoek was nabbed for allegedly selling the visas to non-qualifying citizens.
- Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has called on unions to help root out corruption.
A Department of Home Affairs official based in Windhoek has been fired after being caught allegedly fraudulently issuing visas to Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the department had revoked the visas after the secretary for civics and immigration services based at South Africa’s mission in Windhoek was busted for allegedly selling them to non-qualifying citizens.
“The scheme was so simple for them that fraudsters did not even have to travel to Namibia to get these documents. They were couriered to them and delivered on a silver platter”.
He was speaking during a mini-plenary in the National Assembly, where he delivered his adjusted budget speech on Wednesday.
“This official has not only been fired, but we have handed over the files to the Hawks to pursue prosecution for fraud and corruption. The department has fortunately revoked 100 visas obtained in this manner.
“I cannot claim that in this House that these are all the visas that were defrauded because we do not know. Hence, we are busy auditing all the visas this official issued since being deployed to our mission in Namibia from 17 October 2018,” Motsoaledi said.
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He called on unions to help the department root out corruption.
“I am elevating this matter this way because I wish to take this opportunity to talk to our labour unions. We accept and understand that unions have an obligation to defend their members.
“But the manner in which the union, which this lady belonged to, tried to stifle our disciplinary process leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t believe that union membership is bigger than patriotism. What this lady was doing is tantamount to high treason, selling the sovereignty of our country to the highest bidder”.
Motsoaledi called on public servants to put the country first.
“Let your country come first and unionism will become a pleasant experience. The police have arrested several other officials for the fraudulent registration of births and guiding people to enter the country illegally”.
He also touched on the Constitutional Court judgment on the participation of independent candidates in national and provincial elections.
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He said the ANC was committed to make the necessary arrangements for the court ruling to be honoured.
“There are rumours swirling around that some parties in Parliament are not willing to make this amendment or to make it in time for the next elections. I wish to reassure the nation that this is not the case as far as the party I represent is concerned.
“I will challenge other parties to talk for themselves and place on the table the positions of their various parties on this matter. Actually, it is clear from the discussions last night that this changes will afford an opportunity to cure all the ills we have in our electoral regime,” Motsoaledi added.
