Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has warned South Africans against selling their identities to undocumented foreigners. .
Motsoaledi told parliament on Wednesday South Africans who do so lose their status in the country, to be replaced by foreigners.
Home affairs officials colluded with undocumented foreigners to they could fraudulently obtain SA citizenship.
He confirmed the suspension of four home affairs officials from the Maponya Mall branch in Soweto.
The officials were linked to the alleged Pakistani passport kingpin arrested in Krugersdorp in March. The department received tip-offs from the public who alerted it to corrupt branches in their communities.
“Members of the public have come out in large numbers to tell us where corruption is taking place. We arrest, we don't stop. In the coming weeks we will continue to arrest more people, foreign nationals and South Africans involved in passport fraud and other forms of identity fraud.
“We continue to be concerned about those South Africans who are willing to sell their identities. Such acts mean that those South Africans lose their status in the country, to be replaced by a foreign national. We urge South Africans to stop selling their identities.”
Motsoaledi said the department would beef up its team of investigators and analysts responsible for tracking and investigating corruption and fraud in the department.
“The success of this unit has given members of the public confidence.”
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South Africans who sell their identities to foreign nationals lose their status in the country: Motsoaledi
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has warned South Africans against selling their identities to undocumented foreigners. .
Motsoaledi told parliament on Wednesday South Africans who do so lose their status in the country, to be replaced by foreigners.
Home affairs officials colluded with undocumented foreigners to they could fraudulently obtain SA citizenship.
He confirmed the suspension of four home affairs officials from the Maponya Mall branch in Soweto.
The officials were linked to the alleged Pakistani passport kingpin arrested in Krugersdorp in March. The department received tip-offs from the public who alerted it to corrupt branches in their communities.
“Members of the public have come out in large numbers to tell us where corruption is taking place. We arrest, we don't stop. In the coming weeks we will continue to arrest more people, foreign nationals and South Africans involved in passport fraud and other forms of identity fraud.
“We continue to be concerned about those South Africans who are willing to sell their identities. Such acts mean that those South Africans lose their status in the country, to be replaced by a foreign national. We urge South Africans to stop selling their identities.”
Motsoaledi said the department would beef up its team of investigators and analysts responsible for tracking and investigating corruption and fraud in the department.
“The success of this unit has given members of the public confidence.”
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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