Two Home Affairs officials have appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court after allegedly charging foreign nationals up to R100,000 for fraudulently obtained South African passports.
Aluwani Andries Netshidaulu and Nthombifuthi Phyllis Mokwebo were arrested on Tuesday, September 26, 2026, during a takedown operation conducted under Project Humulani, a long-running investigation into an alleged criminal syndicate involving foreign nationals, Home Affairs officials and South African citizens.
The two officials face charges of racketeering, corruption, fraud and contravention of the Immigration Act.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole
said investigators uncovered an alleged scheme in which the identity details of South Africans were paired with photographs of foreign nationals to facilitate the unlawful issuance of passports.
According to investigators, foreign nationals allegedly paid between R50,000 and R100,000 for the fraudulent passports.
“Home Affairs officials implicated in the scheme were allegedly paid between R10,000 and R15, 000 per application, while South African citizens who provided their personal details were allegedly compensated with R500,” said Mohlatlole.
Mohlatlole said the investigation has already resulted in the seizure of luxury vehicles and the blocking and cancellation of several hundred passports believed to have been fraudulently obtained.
“One of the accused linked to the matter, Pakistani national Arfan Ahmad, who allegedly maintained a corrupt relationship with Home Affairs officials, was previously convicted and is currently serving a 14-year sentence of direct imprisonment. Ahmad also appeared in court alongside the two accused,” said Mohlatlole.
Netshidaulu and Mokwebo were each released on R5,000 unopposed bail.
The matter was postponed to November 4, 2026, to allow Ahmad to secure legal representation and for further investigations.
Mohlatlole said investigations remain ongoing, and authorities said additional arrests are expected as they pursue other individuals allegedly linked to the syndicate.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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