Johannesburg - While many applauded Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and his team for intercepting 67 Pakistani nationals who wanted to enter the country, some sources alleged that foreign nationals are working with Department of Home Affairs (DHA) officials in top positions.
It does not end there. According to sources, DHA officials work closely with crime intelligence personnel from OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia).
The sources furnished The Star with names and images of people believed to be agents and kingpins accused of bringing Pakistani nationals to South Africa illegally.
Among those they have accused is a female DHA official (known to The Star, but name withheld) attached to head office and dealing with eVisas for Asian countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, who is said to be instrumental in the operation.
“Each illegal immigrant pays approximately R90 000 to enter South Africa through Ortia and Cape Town International Airport. This fee covers eVisa approval, immigration officials, crime intelligence officers and visible police personnel,” said one of the sources.
According to Chad Thomas from IRS Forensic Investigations, the problem is far greater than just illegal immigration.
“South Africa has become a playground for international crime syndicates. We see criminals from all over the world, not just Africa, making South Africa their home.
“We see assassinations taking place on our soil among rival syndicates in the Bulgarian and Serbian underworld communities, arrests of Israeli gangsters, and Nigerian and Congolese organised crime syndicates operating openly with impunity.
“We have enough home-grown criminals; we really don’t need to be importing foreign criminals to supplement our own,” Thomas said.
Motsoaledi welcomed the interception of the Pakistani nationals, saying they were denied entry into South Africa in the early hours of August 13, after they failed the immigration test. It included questions about how long their visas entitled them to be in the country. They have been sent back to Pakistan at their own cost.
“This is a result of a sting operation that was put together after observing certain trends that were suspicious and did not make sense.
“They were interviewed by immigration officers, and asked about where they were going, the purpose of being in South Africa, and where they were going to stay given that they were coming here for the first time.
“They provided conflicting evidence, like giving names of non-existent hotels and names of alleged relatives, some of whom did not even exist,” said Motsoaledi.
He said some hotels have complained that there is an increase in the number of Pakistanis who book accommodation and then end up not showing up.
This means that the hotels lose money on these dubious bookings and also on other potential visitors who are unable to book because the hotels are supposed to be full.
Motsoaledi said the department will be more vigilant than ever before.
“We are extremely worried by this new trend, and we have noticed that the newly acquired eVisa system, which is meant to facilitate easier entry into the country by tourists, is being seriously abused by some nationals. We will never allow this,” said Motsoaledi.
With regards to the allegations about corrupt officials, Motsoaledi’s spokesperson, Siya Qoza, said the department has never hidden or denied that there are Home Affairs officials who are involved in corruption.
“This is one of the reasons that the department has the Counter Corruption Branch. All allegations of wrongdoing are investigated.
“The minister has, on several occasions, stated publicly that he does not tolerate malfeasance and that any Home Affairs officials involved in such will be fired.
“The minister has even said that if it means firing two-thirds of staff to get rid of corruption in Home Affairs, he’ll do it. There are some officials who have been fired already,” Qoza said.
The Star