A Border Management Authority (BMA) official has been arrested for allegedly accepting a R600 payment to unlawfully endorse the passport of a Lesotho national at the Maseru Port of Entry.
The arrest follows a joint investigation by the Department of Home Affairs’ Counter Corruption branch, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence division and Ladybrand Detectives.
According to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, the official was arrested on Thursday as part of an ongoing crackdown on corruption within the Home Affairs ecosystem and efforts to strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system.
The official allegedly endorsed the passport of the Lesotho national on June 29, despite the individual not presenting herself at the immigration counter as required by law.
The alleged offence was uncovered after the Lesotho national was arrested by SAPS in an unrelated matter.
”During the subsequent investigation, information emerged that a payment had allegedly been made through intermediaries to facilitate the unlawful endorsement of her passport,” said the Department of Home Affairs in a statement.
”This led investigators to identify the BMA officer allegedly responsible for the fraudulent immigration stamp.”
The official has been charged with corruption and is expected to appear in the Ladybrand Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The investigation remains ongoing, with further arrests possible.
Schreiber welcomed the arrest, saying corrupt officials who undermine South Africa’s border management system would face consequences.
“Every corrupt official who undermines the integrity of South Africa’s border management system must know that the net is closing,” Schreiber said.
“We are working relentlessly across the Home Affairs ecosystem with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who abuse the public’s trust are identified, arrested and prosecuted.”
Schreiber said government would continue efforts to remove corruption from the Home Affairs system.
“We will not stop until corruption has been rooted out from every part of the Home Affairs ecosystem.
”That is how we will restore the rule of law and build a secure immigration system that serves the interests of South Africa,” he said.
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