Home Affairs Minister Welcomes Sentencing of Corrupt Official

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has commended the lengthy sentences imposed on individuals involved in passport-related crimes. Two South Africans and a Pakistani national were recently sentenced in separate cases in Durban and Johannesburg for their involvement in passport fraud as reported by SA News.

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Arfan Ahmed, a Pakistani national, was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a passport fraud syndicate. Ahmed was arrested in Krugersdorp in March 2022 as part of a sting operation involving the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch, the Hawks, and Police Crime Intelligence. He was found in possession of fraudulent passports, and further investigations are ongoing regarding his involvement in the syndicate.

In a separate case, Anda Ngozi and Nomathandazo Mboyane, who were employed at the Department of Home Affairs in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, were sentenced to 26 and 24 years, respectively. The duo travelled long distances to Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to fraudulent process 52 passports for foreign nationals who were not entitled to them. They were paid between R3,000 and R5,000 for each passport, while South Africans who lent their identities were paid a paltry R500.

Minister Motsoaledi expressed satisfaction with the court’s decisions and emphasised that Home Affairs would continue to pursue individuals involved in malfeasance within the department. He also highlighted the negative consequences of passport fraud, including the potential harm to the country’s reputation and the challenges legitimate South African travellers face due to document authenticity issues.

Motsoaledi noted that Home Affairs had implemented significant changes to the passport application process in response to abuse, ensuring greater security and integrity in the system. He emphasised the department’s commitment to addressing corruption and fraudulent activities within Home Affairs.

The minister urged corrupt officials within Home Affairs to expect legal consequences and reiterated the department’s dedication to maintaining the integrity of South African identity documents and passports.

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Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA