R500 to swap your photo with a foreigner: Woman nabbed in home affairs passport corruption scheme

A 46-year-old woman is due to face Protea Glen Magistrate's Court after her arrest in Gauteng, according to the South African Police Service. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into fraudulent passport applications orchestrated by corrupt Home Affairs officials and vulnerable South Africans, working alongside foreign nationals.

Colonel Katlego Mogale of Hawks revealed that officials from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) recruited the vulnerable South Africans and matched them with foreign nationals. They would then swap photographs and falsify personal details to legitimize the documents. DHA officials were paid between R10,000 and R15,000 per application, while South Africans were paid R500 per application.

Foreign nationals were charged between R50,000 and R100,000. The investigation, known as Project Humulani, began on April 12, 2022, and targeted cases in Krugersdorp, Kliptown, Fairlands, Tubatse, and Germiston. Mogale stated that Project Humulani has already produced notable results, including the arrest, conviction, and sentencing of the alleged mastermind to 14 years in direct imprisonment in two cases.

Additionally, three Toyota Fortuner SUVs were seized, and numerous passports were canceled. The suspect arrested on Tuesday will be charged with fraud, racketeering, corruption, and violations of the Immigration Act. The successful operation was the result of close collaboration between the Gauteng Serious Organized Crime Investigation unit, DHA Anti-Corruption Unit, National Prosecuting Authority, and its Asset Forfeiture Unit.

Mogale highlighted that this case demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-agency collaboration in dismantling organized crime networks that exploit immigration systems. Ongoing investigations are expected.