South Africa’s immigration system was exploited for years by a small group of officials who enriched themselves by taking payments in exchange for issuing visas and residence permits, a government investigation found.
The probe, ordered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, examined corruption linked to visa issuance between 2004 and 2024, before the current coalition government took power.
It found that immigration processes had been manipulated within a largely paper-based system long criticised as slow and vulnerable to abuse.
The State’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said four officials received more than 16 million rand ($1 million) in direct deposits over the period under review.
The officials were not named. According to the SIU, one built a mansion, while others purchased multiple properties in cash.
“These findings show that corruption in the visa system is not incidental; it is organised, deliberate, and devastating to public trust,” the SIU said.
The unit added that it had “uncovered a disturbing reality: South Africa’s immigration system has been treated as a marketplace, where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder.”
Investigators said applications were routinely sent via WhatsApp for expedited approval, with payments allegedly made to the spouses of officials. In other cases, cash was concealed inside application forms.
Forensic raids uncover organised network
To investigate the scheme, the SIU obtained a Special Tribunal order and, with the assistance of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), searched five Refugee Reception Offices.
Authorities seized laptops, desktop computers, mobile phones, external drives and official files. A total of 237 items were imaged for cyber forensic analysis.
Cell phone analysis revealed communication between officials and foreign nationals, with payments made through E-Wallet transfers ranging from R500 to R3,000 (about $27 to $165).
The payments facilitated the unlawful issuing of permits and visas to individuals who did not qualify.
The SIU said it had identified what it described as a coordinated network involving religious figures, including pastors and prophets, who exploited immigration systems through fraudulent documentation.
Methods allegedly included fake retirement confirmations, falsified proof of financial means, marriages of convenience and syndicate-backed sponsorships designed to fabricate financial stability.
In conjunction with Interpol, the SIU also uncovered what it described as a significant identity fraud scheme.
The operation primarily involved foreign nationals who allegedly obtained South African passports to commit crimes abroad or to seek refugee status in other countries.
Digital reforms and security measures
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the department was working to curb fraud through digitisation. Authorities are migrating to an electronic travel authorisation platform aimed at reducing human discretion in processing applications.
“It is only through the systemic reform anchored in digital transformation and the use of modern technology that we can definitively close the space for corruption,” Schreiber said.
The SIU has proposed a series of systemic reforms. It recommended stricter controls on passport photographs during the rollout of the department’s biometric system.
It also advised strengthening physical access controls at Home Affairs offices to ensure that all individuals entering facilities can be positively identified, reducing the risk of internal collusion.
The SIU said it had made 275 criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority. Schreiber added that 20 Home Affairs officials had been dismissed since April last year.
Political and governance implications
Corruption across government sectors has weighed on public confidence and contributed to the declining popularity of Ramaphosa’s African National Congress party in recent years.
Ramaphosa has repeatedly pledged to crack down on graft as part of broader governance reforms.
The findings underscore the scale of institutional vulnerabilities within South Africa’s immigration system and add pressure on authorities to ensure that criminal referrals lead to prosecutions.
