5 Arrested in Durban for Supplying Foreign Nationals With Passports

• The South African Police Service arrested five suspects in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, for helping foreign nationals with documents illegally
• The Serious Corruption Investigation Unit made the arrests on 14 June 2025 after an employee of the Department of Home Affairs complained that fraudulent passports were issued to foreign nationals
• They also discovered that the officials solicited bribes of between R300 and R1000 in exchange for their cooperation

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — The Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation Unit arrested five suspects in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal on 14 June 2025 for fraud and corruption after they were accused of supplying foreign nationals with passports fraudulently.

Hawks arrest DHA officials

According to the South African Police Service, the Hawks arrested the Department of Home Affairs officials after a complaint was laid against them. The officials were accused of issuing fraudulent pads[orts to undocumented foreign nationals from 2020 to 2023.

A group of South Africans was also accused of helping foreign nationals fraudulently acquire South African passports at the Department of Home Affairs offices on Commercial Street. They reportedly conducted their operations outside of business hours.

Home Affairs officials also solicited bribes from citizens ranging from R300 to R1000 for their assistance at the Isipingo, Durban Central, and Eshowe Home Affairs branches. The suspects who were arrested will appear in court on 17 June 2025 before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. They have been charged with corruption, fraud, contravention of the Identification Ac,t and the Immigration Act.

Corruption and fraud in Home Affairs

• A Durban Home Affairs official was given a 35-year sentence in August 2024 for running a scheme in which she paid South African citizens for their fingers to be created for foreign nationals
• The Department of Home Affairs investigated 109 cases of corruption since the beginning of 2024's financial year and disclosed that foreign nationals paid thousands for identity documents
• The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, urged South Africans to switch to Smart ID cards as greenbook ID holders are more susceptible to fraud

South Africans discuss the arrests

Netizens commenting on SAPS' Facebook post shared their thoughts on the arrests.

Vic Brits said:

"African excellence, ANC style."

Irene Venter said:

"Congratulations, SAPS. And the ANC still denies this."

Creldo Antonio Tsambo said:

"South Africans, don't trade your sovereignty!"

Frankie Shava said:

"That's not corruption. It's treason."

Sifiso MangingakaJekeyibuse Gcabashe said:

"Home Affairs is very corrupt. Even if you want to book for a smart card, they don't give a date until you go there and pay money for booking."

Meisie Kleinbooi said:

"They must rot in jail together with those foreigners."

Home Affairs fires 18 officials

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Home Affairs fired 18 crooked officials in November 2024. They were accused of a range of offences including corruption, fraud, and sexual harassment.

Four of them were fired for irregularly granting ID documents, three were fired for irregularly processing birth certificates, and six irregularly solemnising and registering marriages.

Source: Briefly News