Two former Home Affairs officials have been arrested over the alleged fraudulent issuing of South African passports to foreign nationals, the Department of Home Affairs said on Monday 12 October.

The department said the arrests followed a joint investigation by its Counter Corruption Unit and the Hawks. It said the syndicate was uncovered in 2022. The two are presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.

What the department says happened

The department said the syndicate exploited weaknesses in the manual passport process using a method it called 'photo swapping'. Identity details of South African citizens were allegedly used to obtain passports carrying the photographs of foreign nationals.

The passports were allegedly sold for up to R100,000 each. The department did not say how many passports were issued or what nationalities the buyers held.

Home Affairs spokesperson Carli van Wyk called the case a "powerful example" of why the department is pursuing digital transformation. She said biometric verification now links applicants to their identities, closing the photo-substitution loophole.

Minister Leon Schreiber said outdated manual processes created loopholes that criminal syndicates could exploit. He said the department is closing them through biometric verification and automated systems, and aims to prevent fraud "by design". He commended the Counter Corruption Unit and the Hawks, and said that since the start of the seventh administration 98 Home Affairs officials have been dismissed and 42 arrested.

Possible link to an earlier court case

The department's statement does not say when or where the two were arrested, what they are charged with, or when they will appear in court.

On 30 September, two Home Affairs officials appeared at the Protea Magistrate's Court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said, in a case it linked to its Project Humulani investigation. According to NPA spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole, as reported, they face charges of racketeering, corruption, fraud and contravening the Immigration Act. They were each released on R5,000 bail, and the matter was postponed to 4 November.

The NPA described a similar scheme, in which citizens' identity details were paired with photographs of foreign nationals. It alleged that foreign nationals paid R50,000 to R100,000 a passport, and that several hundred passports were blocked or cancelled.

We cannot confirm that this is the same case. Reports of the 30 September hearing do not say whether the officials are current or former employees, and the department's statement does not say whether those arrested are the same two people. Both accused are presumed innocent.

What we do not yet know

  • Whether the 12 October arrests are the same as those linked to the 30 September court appearance.
  • When and where the arrests happened, and what the two face in court.
  • How many passports were issued and to whom.
  • Whether more arrests will follow. The NPA spokesperson said, as reported, that investigators expect further arrests.