Inside Home Affairs Visa Crackdown As Over 2 000 Fraudulent Permits Face Revocation

South Africa’s immigration system is under one of its toughest clean-ups in years as the Department of Home Affairs prepares to revoke more than 2 000 visas flagged as fraudulent. What began as whispers of irregular permits has now been laid bare by a far-reaching Special Investigating Unit probe that uncovered corruption networks operating inside and outside government.

The findings land at a time when public frustration with immigration control is already high. Communities have long complained about inconsistent enforcement, visa backlogs, and cases where individuals seemed to bypass official channels entirely. For many South Africans, this latest move signals long-overdue accountability.

A Major Sweep After SIU Red Flags

During a media briefing in Pretoria, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that the department has begun reviewing administrative steps to withdraw thousands of visas linked to irregular approvals.

He said investigators uncovered repeat schemes involving document fraud, work permit abuses, and networks that allegedly smoothed the way for unauthorised entry into the country.

Schreiber emphasised that the department was no longer allowing such cases to slip through the cracks.
“Accountability is happening, and we are enforcing serious consequences while also changing the system,” he said.

Internal Cleanup As Officials Dismissed And Suspended

One of the most striking revelations is how deeply some Home Affairs officials were implicated. Schreiber said decisive internal action is already underway.

Since April last year:

• 20 officials have been dismissed

• 16 have been suspended

• More than 55 staff members have been dismissed in total since July 2024

Beyond internal processes, the department recorded 275 criminal referrals and closed 111 investigations. Numerous disciplinary hearings remain active.

The scale of the misconduct adds weight to public complaints that corruption was not the exception inside Home Affairs but had become a systemic vulnerability.

The Multimillion Rand Visa Scheme Exposed

The SIU’s interim report goes further, detailing a corruption network valued at over R16 million. Investigators linked the scheme to high-profile religious figures, including self-proclaimed prophets Shepherd Bushiri, Timothy Omotoso, and Kudakwashe Mpofu.

According to the report, the network facilitated fraudulent permanent residence and immigration permits, exploiting weaknesses in Home Affairs systems and internal oversight.

The investigation was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa after whistleblowers raised concerns about questionable visa approvals. Their disclosures helped pave the way for what has now become one of the largest immigration integrity probes in recent years.

Systemic Failures And A Path To Reform

SIU head Leonard Lekgetho described the findings as a sign of entrenched corruption networks within the department rather than isolated misconduct.

“Officials entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of the Department of Home Affairs turned their positions into profit-making schemes,” he explained. Investigators found that fabricated documentation, internal collusion, and weak verification processes created an environment where fraudulent permits could flourish.

For South Africans, these revelations highlight the need for deeper reform beyond revoking visas. Immigration security affects everything from national safety to labour markets and public trust in government services.

As Home Affairs prepares to strip thousands of unlawfully obtained visas, the country is watching closely. The clean-up may be disruptive, but for many, it represents an important step toward restoring confidence in South Africa’s immigration system.

{Source:The South African}

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