Study visas of 95 Libyans handwritten, irregularity flagged

The study visas issued to the 95 Libyans found at the Milites Dei Academy in Mpumalanga were handwritten due to the system at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s (Dirco) mission in Tunis being offline.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs recently received a report on the investigation into the 95 Libyans who have now been deported.

In total, 100 Libyans were granted visas. However, three were deported on arrival following interviews by immigration officials at OR Tambo International Airport. The other two never made it to South Africa.

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The 95 Libyans entered the country on different dates and in groups through OR Tambo International Airport.

The first group of 24 entered the country on 25 April, the second group of 24 entered the country on 26 April, the third group of 24 on 24 May, and the last group of 23 on 29 May 2024.

They were all issued study visas and were meant to stay in the country for six months, until December 31.

95 Libyans: investigation results

• Application forms used were outdated and did not comply with the forms prescribed in the Immigration Regulations
• There was no indication on some application forms that the applicants were applying for study visas, however, the official decided to grant study visas
• Critical information was omitted, such as the place of birth in some cases and the addresses of the applicants for their country of origin
• The applications did not contain any proof of sufficient funds as prescribed
• A preliminary check of a Momentum Membership indicates that the membership certificate is fraudulent (This was done telephonically)
• The Certificate of Criminal Status (Police Clearance) was not verified during the processing of the application
• The agent submitted the applications. None of the applicants appeared in person

According to the report, the official at the Tunis embassy who processed the visa applications did not consult, seek advice and receive confirmation from the Department of Home Affairs before approving the visas.

Dirco said it had launched an investigation. Officials from the department, state security agency and home affairs will be travelling to Tunis to look at the submitted documentation.

The Libyans were deported at the weekend, and their country paid for their travel back home.

Libyans in South Africa

According to Border Management Authority commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato, 588 Libyans entered South Africa through the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and the Cape Town International Airport between 1 January and 14 August 2024.

Of the 588 Libyans who entered South Africa, 463 departed through these airports.

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As of 14 August, 125 Libyans are still in the country.

Since the discovery of the military training camp, 114 Libyans entered the country, 97 of them have since left.

The country’s intelligence has expressed concern over the influx of Libyans entering the country. All ports of entry are now on high alert for Libyans.

National security at risk

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber told the committee that as long as the department’s system was outdated, paper-based and manual, it remained vulnerable to fraud.

Schreiber said the department could not even audit the system, even if it wanted, due to the outdated system.

He said: “How can South Africa regard ourselves as a serious nation when we still allow entrance into our country based on hand-written documents that even a child could forge?

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“How can South Africa regard ourselves as a serious nation when we fail to use modern technology like machine learning that can verify the authenticity of a document better than any human being ever could?

“Which person on earth could justify the use of such an antiquated, broken and vulnerable system when we live in the year 2024, with technology at our fingertips that could instantly solve every one of these problems?

“Incidents of identity theft, long queues, visa fraud and corruption will keep happening, over and over and over again, forever, if we fail to digitally transform Home Affairs.”

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