Two home affairs officials in court over alleged fraudulent passport syndicate
Two home affairs officials appeared in the Protea magistrate’s court on Wednesday in connection with an alleged syndicate accused of fraudulently obtaining South African passports for foreign nationals.
National prosecuting authority spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said Aluwani Andries Netshidaulu and Ntombifuthi Phyllis Mokwebo were arrested on Tuesday during an operation conducted as part of Project Humulani.
The pair face charges of racketeering, corruption, fraud and contravening the Immigration Act.
Mohlatlole said Project Humulani was launched in 2021 after information emerged about an alleged network involving foreign nationals, home affairs officials and South African citizens.
The investigation uncovered an alleged scheme in which the identity details of South African citizens were paired with photographs of foreign nationals to facilitate the unlawful issuing of South African passports.
Foreign nationals allegedly paid between R50,000 and R100,000 for the passports.
The officials allegedly received between R10,000 and R15,000 per application, while South African citizens who allowed their personal details to be used were allegedly paid R500.
The investigation has resulted in the seizure of luxury vehicles and the blocking and cancellation of several hundred passports allegedly obtained fraudulently, Mohlatlole said.
Pakistani national Arfan Ahmad, who the NPA says was linked to the matter and allegedly maintained a corrupt relationship with home affairs officials, has previously been convicted and is serving a 14-year sentence.
The matter was postponed to November 4 to allow Ahmad to secure legal representation and for further investigations.
The NPA said investigations continued and further arrests were expected as authorities pursue other people allegedly linked to the syndicate.