Home Affairs official caught red-handed selling fake IDs

An Upington Home Affairs official has been busted for allegedly selling illegal identity documents to foreign nationals.

The 37-year-old woman was caught in action by the Anti-Corruption Investigating Unit (ACIU), on Wednesday, after the unit received a tip-off about her illegal dealings.

37-year-old ID fraudster caught red-handed

According to the information from the South African Police Services, the official was allegedly processing illegal ID’s for undocumented foreign nationals.

It is alleged that she accepted cash for providing the fraudulent documents.  

Upon conducting her special services, the ACIU along with the police swooped in catching her red-handed.

She has been charged with corruption and will soon appear at Upington Magistrates Court.

ALSO READ: Home Affairs officials fired for selling SA documents to foreign nationals

“No stone will be left unturned”

The officials on the case were congratulated by the District Commissioner for ZF Mgcawu, Maj Gen Thabo Mphuthi.

“No stone will be left unturned and SAPS will continue unabatedly to root out all corruption and bring the perpetrators thereof to justice,” said Mphuthi.

It is the latest case of home affairs officials being caught selling documents to undocumented foreigners.         

ALSO READ: Home affairs official who issued passport to ‘Lebogang from Bangladesh’ arrested

Last year June, home affairs suspended immigration officer for ‘selling IDs for R50k’ after a TV ‘exposé,” reported SowetanLIVE.

The Citizen reported on another similar incident a year earlier, when Phathisani Outshiki, a Benoni home affairs official, was fired for selling 111 documents at R1000 each.  

David Motsamai, who worked in the department’s Germiston office, was also fired for selling 13 illegal passports.

Both officials pleaded guilty and were fired immediately.

“Criminal charges were pursued against both these officials. Investigations were opened for all those who sold their identities and the potential buyers,” said the department.

ALSO READ: How South Africans sell their identities to foreigners for just R500