4 Home Affairs Officials Nabbed for Allegedly Selling SA Passports to Foreign Nationals, Mzansi Outraged
- Four Home Affairs officials were bust allegedly selling South African passports to undocumented foreign nationals
- The passports would contain the details of South African citizens but with photos of undocumented foreign nationals
- Social media users were left fuming following the arrests and are calling for the officials to be charged with treason
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LIMPOPO – The Hawks nabbed Four Home Affairs officials for allegedly selling South African passports to undocumented foreign nationals on Wednesday, 23 November.
Source: Getty Images
The officials, aged between 35 and 43, were arrested on fraud and corruption charges. They are expected to appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 24 November.
The arrest has sparked anger within Mzansi. Citizens are calling for those responsible to be severely punished:
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@22muzidv said:
“Why not also arrest those foreign nationals for acquiring fraudulent documents?”
@ComradeCadre commented:
“Another public servant criminal. Every day public servants are arrested for destabilising public services. Terrorists in public service. State capture terrorism is deeper.”
@Thandis22771446 added:
“Act of treason.”
Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said that the officials allegedly conspired by “runners” to recruit South Africans to apply for passports. While doing photoshoots with the citizens, the foreign nationals would switch places.
Maluleke said the passports would contain the details of South African citizens but with photos of undocumented foreign nationals.
The syndicate was uncovered in May by the Home Affairs Counter Corruption and Security unit which referred the matter to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation.
The citizens whose details were used in the fake passports were allegedly paid R1000. According to News24, the Hawks are searching for more suspects linked to the crime.
14 Luxury cars seized during Hawks raid in Gauteng alleged Zama zama kingpins arrested
Briefly News also reported the Hawks seized 14 vehicles worth millions belonging to suspected illegal mining kingpins on Tuesday, 4 October. Seven men were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday during Operation Gillette.
The operation conducted by the Hawks, police and the Department of Home Affairs is meant to tackle illegal mining in the country. Members of Gauteng Hawks raided eight properties in Carletonville and Khutsong, west of Johannesburg.
Hawks Spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale told News24 that the vehicles seized included an Audi A3, Range Rover Evoque, Ford Ranger Raptor, VW Golf R, VW Amarok, a VW T-Roc, and a truck.
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Source: Briefly News
