Zimbabwean National Arrested For Running a Fake "Home Affairs" Office From Hillbrow Apartment

• A Zimbabwean national has been arrested for manufacturing fake legal documents in Hillbrow, Johannesburg
• The man landed on the police's radar when Joburg citizens tipped them off about the operation being run from his flat
• South Africans took to social media to react to the man's fake documents scam and some people think he does a better job than the real Home Affairs

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Police Service in Gauteng has cracked down on a Zimbabwean national who ran a fake "Home Affairs" office in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

The fraudster is said to have been creating fake identification documents, driver's licences, bank cards, SASSA cards and more, all from the comfort of his own apartment.

Lt-Gen Elias Mawela, SAPS Gauteng provincial commissioner, stated that the police received tip-offs from members of the public while carrying out foot patrol as part of operation O Kae Molao ("Where Is the Law"), according to TimesLIVE.

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“We were doing foot patrols and, while walking, good citizens tipped off the officers about this individual, a Zimbabwean," said Mawela.

The Zim national was caught in the act of creating fake documents when the police arrested him. Mawela says the preliminary investigation indicates that the fraudster has been in business for a while, as some of the fake documents date back to 2020.

According to IOL, the police also found printers, hard drives, scanners and other equipment used in the production of the fake documents.

South Africans weigh in on the fake "home affairs" office operating in Hillbrow

@Amplitorque said:

"These arrests are important as they are giving authorities the leads about fraudulent documentation which affect various disciplines from IDs, driver's licences, marriage certificates, the carnage on our roads through fraudulent driver's licences, I can go on and on."

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@WestdykErna said:

"If he was running a 'fully functioning' Home Affairs, he was doing better than the real Home Affairs."

@NNtsuba said:

"Yho... this is becoming worse by the day... Nigerians too have a fully-fledged Home Affairs in their flats but I don't blame them. Government officials are giving away SA to foreigners."

@SpheDludla said:

"The court will grant him bail and he will disappear into things air to resume his activities undisturbed."

Immigration officer arrested for being part of Bangladeshi smuggling operation at OR Tambo airport

Briefly News previously reported that the Department of Home Affairs and SARS conducted a sting operation that resulted in the arrest of an immigration officer who was running a syndicate that allowed foreign nationals into South Africa without the proper legal documentation.

The immigration officer would get Bangladeshi nationals who did not qualify to be in South Africa to pay to be smuggled into the country.

In a television interview, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaorn Motsoaledi revealed that the immigration officer worked for a kingpin who is stationed in Bangladesh, according to TimesLIVE.

Source: Briefly News