Friday, December 24, 2010

Home Affairs uncover passport syndicate

By Lelethu Mquqo
24 December 2010


The Home Affairs Anti-Corruption Task Team has broken a passport stealing syndicate operating in Gauteng and Limpopo.

Four people, three of whom are home affairs officials, have been arrested within the last 24 hours.

One suspect was arrested at the Akasia Home Affairs office, one in Soshanguve and the female official was arrested with her son in Makhado.

Spokesperson for Home Affairs, Ronnie Mamoepa, says the four allegedly facilitated the illegal sale of South African passports to Pakistanis.

This allowed the Pakistanis to travel unrestricted to the rest of the world via South Africa.

Meanwhile, Bonuses for home affairs officials are being reviewed and not cancelled.

Mamoepa says the bonuses have not been called off, but a review of the recommendations made so far is underway.

Mamoepa was responding to claims that the bonuses were cancelled because too many officials were in line to receive them.

He says a bonus is not a right, but rather a mechanism to encourage staff.

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