Home Affairs officials ‘paid to ignore’ fraudulent visa documents

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has disclosed that Home Affairs officials allegedly accepted bribes from foreign nationals to overlook fraudulent supporting documents, enabling them to obtain visas despite not meeting the qualifications. Consequently, 205 visas have been flagged for cancellation and deportation, and seven disciplinary referrals have been made.

SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho indicated that the investigation remains active, with the potential for additional officials to face repercussions. The SIU's investigation stems from an authorized inquiry under Proclamation 154 of 2024, which scrutinized nearly two decades of visa and permit administration, encompassing various categories such as work, study, business, critical-skills, and permanent-residence applications.

An earlier interim report submitted to Parliament unveiled significant flaws in the department's immigration processes, including the use of fraudulent documentation, compromised officials, and gaps in the screening systems. The latest revelations now elucidate how these vulnerabilities were allegedly exploited from within the department.

The SIU attributed the failure to verify applicants' supporting documents to kickbacks received by officials from foreign nationals, aiming to bypass fraudulent evidence and grant visas to ineligible individuals. The SIU's findings echo concerns raised by Parliament, which criticized the corruption within Home Affairs and the integrity of its immigration procedures.

The committee emphasized the detrimental impact on national security, governance, and rule of law, as well as the ramifications for border security and resource allocation. The SIU's recommendations to Home Affairs prioritize reducing human intervention through technology and automated systems, alongside enhancing integration between Home Affairs and other government entities to automate verifications.

The unit also advocates for system integration across departments to facilitate automated verifications and mitigate manual or absent checks. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber acknowledged the department's reliance on manual processes as a vulnerability, noting that a small group of officials allegedly exploited loopholes in the manual visa system.

Schreiber emphasized that outdated paper-based procedures created opportunities for officials to disregard fraudulent documents or approve unqualified applications. In response, Home Affairs has initiated disciplinary actions against implicated officials, with disciplinary proceedings advancing. The Department has also cancelled over 2,000 fraudulent study visas and is progressing disciplinary proceedings against 20 dismissed officials since April 2025.

The ministry has embraced digital transformation as a crucial measure to curtail manipulation of visa applications.