By Jonisayi Maromo
Pretoria – The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed two employees for fraud relating to selling of South African identities to foreign nationals who did not deserve the documents.
“Another four officials have been suspended for similar offences. Mr Phathisani Outshiki, from the Benoni office, was found guilty of gross misconduct for processing 111 documents for undeserving foreign nationals using particulars of South African citizens for a fee of R1 000 per application,” said Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza.
He said 98 of these documents were passports and 13 were identity documents.
“Mr Outshiki pleaded guilty and he was subsequently dismissed. However, he is appealing his dismissal. Mr Morena David Motsamai, from the Germiston office, was found guilty of gross misconduct in that he processed 13 passport applications for undeserving foreign nationals using particulars of South Africans,” said Qoza.
“He was paid between R2 500 and R5 000 per application. Mr Motsamai pleaded guilty and did not appeal the sanction. He was subsequently dismissed.”
Qoza said the police were pursuing criminal charges against Outshiki and 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. Fortunately, all the fraudulently processed IDs and passports were flagged as fraudulent and were removed from Home Affairs records thus rendering them useless and unusable by the people who acquired them,” said Qoza.
He said none of these documents were ever used.
On Friday, the department suspended four officials at the Tzaneen office who were allegedly processing fraudulent documents.
Their disciplinary hearings are scheduled to take place within 10 working days.
“All six officials have been on the radar of the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Branch without their knowledge and them suspecting anything hence it was easy to catch them.”
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has warned that the ongoing intensive fight to root out corruption at the national department will continue without fear.
“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 Motsoaledi.
He said his department was on the trail of more home affairs officials “who are involved in these shameful acts and will continue to arrest them”.
The minister again urged South Africans to stop selling their identities to foreign nationals.
“If you sell your identity, you are replaced by a foreign national on our database which means that you will not be able to access services in the country,” said Motsoaledi.
The first ever minister who cares about his country.
Does an SA Id makes you a millionaire automatically, we got so many pharas with that id nothing special about it
Joshua Makuvise kkkkkkk
Joshua Makuvise only a fool will go to your level in seeking attention. South African pension gets more money than a teacher in Zimbabwe.
A child in South Africa gets grant which is more than a salary of some Zimbabwean employees.
Those are facts. South African ID is more valuable than a teacher’s salary in Zimbabwe
Michack MangenaMichack Mangena u dont have to insult zimbabwean civil servants and also nothing special about those grants because it is the responsibility of every well functioning economy.it is still possible that it will also happen in any country.never say never,nothing is permanent
Patrick Mukumba Zanupf inherited Rhodesia in a better state than the state Anc found South Africa in.
They have never been grants in Zimbabwe even when the economy was performing better. Lack of leadership in Zimbabwe is the problem.
90% of unemployment is not a joke.
A public servant in Zimbabwe on retirement gets a once off pension of less than $300usd
All teacher pensioners in South Africa are guaranteed a minimum of R2m, that’s a fact.
Zimbabwe is failed by criminal leadership, direct your anger at them
Michack Mangena my friend I think I need to learn a lot from you!!!! You know too much and you are intelligent my bravo
Michack Mangena I have to come to your inbox check me
Michack Mangena So I must buy the Id for the grant benefit come, Iam doing far much better than the one with that green book
Joshua Makuvise 90% of Zimbabweans are unemployed.
90% of all employees cannot to have 2 meals per day.
Your comments indicates your stupidity levels
A teacher’s salary can only buy 24 loaves of bread, what is the future of Zimbabweans if teachers are neglected by the State?
Michack Mangena Shamwari iwe wakadhakwa iwe tirikutawura zvechitupa pano kwete zvawuri kutawura izvo check the topic first usati wanyanyo rasika
Michack Mangena That’s the reason in Zimbabwe we sleep in our own houses 🏠 we buy a stand then built it we are not spoonfed we r skilled in different jobs,wena u get grant 450 rands for 1 child sleep in tin house and yu don’t use a toilet, yu don’t know a bathtub 🛀 in Zim things will get better mfe2 don’t talk kak
Whats so special on ID ? Thats a useless thing to pple who knows what they want like Zimbabweans
It doesn’t work Mandela gave them in 1994…thy a the ones who voted Mandela in office
Vele next year sonke siyabe singamazulu
Whatever who cares
They are going to fire everybody
African leaders always stitch up a running annus
SA is on the path to the grave .It will suffer corruption untill
Yu will never win the fight against corruption my man bt yu are doing well for your name shame… keep on trying…just pray they won’t find in the same situation like the previous ministers🤷🤷🤷