Police arrested three suspects who were found in possession of fraudulent documents. Photo: South African Police Service (Saps)
Three people found in possession of fraudulent documents were arrested at a flat in Marshalltown, Johannesburg CBD, on Thursday.
Police said that the suspects, aged between 39 and 50, were found in possession of birth certificates, death certificates, university and college certificates and false identity documents, which were allegedly used to commit crimes.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo revealed that police received information regarding undocumented foreigners who are in cahoots with home affairs officials.
“The information was operationalised and the police pounced on the premises where they found five males working on laptops and desktops, printing documents which were later identified as death certificates, birth certificates, and other home affairs documents,” said Mavela.
Masondo also said more arrests and charges might be added. The suspects are expected to appear before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s court in due course.
ALSO READ: Man arrested for running ‘home affairs’ office from flat in Hillbrow
In a similar incident in April last year, a 47-year-old Zimbabwean man was arrested after police found a fully functional “department of home affairs” in his flat in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.
Gauteng provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said at the time that police were patrolling the streets of Hillbrow when a community member tipped them off about a man producing fraudulent identity documents and passports.
When police searched the man’s flat, they found documents that included more than 95 South African identity documents, birth certificates, smart identity cards, passports, bank statements, Covid-19 certificates, work permits, police firearm licence competency certificates, Sassa cards and bank cards.
In October 2022, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed that 553 fraudulent marriages had been finalised since 1 January 2022.
At the time, Motsoaledi was responding to a parliamentary question from Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Khethamabala Sithole, who asked the minister how many fraudulent marriages his department reversed since 1 January 2022 and what steps his department took to end fraudulent marriage certification.
READ MORE: At least 500 fraudulent marriages reversed since January, says Motsoaledi
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