Home Affairs fires two officials for selling 124 documents – four more suspended
The Department of Home Affairs recently fired two employees for fraud related to selling South African identities to foreigners. Four more officials were suspended for similar offences.
TWO HOME AFFAIRS OFFICIALS DISMISSED
Between the two of them, the dismissed employees allegedly sold 124 fraudulent documents to “undeserving foreign nationals,” according to Home Affairs.
Phathisani Outshiki, from the Benoni office, allegedly processed 111 documents by using the particulars of South African citizens. He charged R1000 per application. Ninety-eight of the documents were passports and 13 were IDs.
Outshiki was found guilty of gross misconduct. He pleaded guilty and was dismissed. However, he is appealing the dismissal.
Morena David Motsamai, from the Germiston office, was found guilty of the same offence, pleaded guilty and was dismissed. He opted not to appeal the dismissal.
Motsamai allegedly processed 13 applications and charged between R2500 and R5000 for each one.
“The police are pursuing criminal charges against both Mr Outshiki and Mr Motsamai. In addition, the police are tracking the South Africans who sold their identities and the foreign nationals who wanted to buy South African documents they do not deserve,” said Home Affairs.
The fraudulent documents processed by the pair were flagged and removed from the department’s system – rendering them useless. None of the documents was ever used, according to Home Affairs.
FOUR TZANEEN OFFICIALS SUSPENDED
On Friday, 1 July, the Department suspended four officials from the Tzaneen office who allegedly processed fraudulent documents. The four are expected to face a disciplinary hearing within 10 days.
The Department of Home Affairs said the six officials have long been on the Counter Corruption Branch’s radar without their knowledge and it was easy to catch them.
“We shall fearlessly and ruthlessly root out corruption wherever it rears its ugly head. I have no doubt that with support from members of the public who are patriotic enough to report these corrupt practices, we dare not fail but win this battle,” said Department Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
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