Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced sweeping reforms to tackle corruption within the department, revealing that 20 officials have been dismissed since April last year.
Speaking in Pretoria on Monday, Schreiber said disciplinary processes against implicated individuals are ongoing following the release of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) interim report on serious maladministration within the department.
The investigation exposed recurring schemes involving document fraud, visa and work-permit manipulation, and facilitation networks that enabled unauthorised entry into South Africa.
“I have also requested the director-general to write to the Department of Public Service and Administration, as well as to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to ensure that these former officials are not re-employed elsewhere in the state whilst they undergo criminal proceedings,” Schreiber said.
Over the past two financial years, 75 disciplinary cases were completed, resulting in 16 suspensions without pay and 22 written warnings. The department has also made several referrals for criminal prosecution.
The minister urged the National Prosecuting Authority to prioritise these cases as part of efforts to restore the rule of law.
Fraudulent visas cancelled
The department has identified over 2 000 study visas that were fraudulently issued through syndicates operating at Home Affairs. Administrative processes are now under way to cancel these visas, with subsequent visas obtained by the same individuals also being ring-fenced.
“We will also ensure that all irregularly obtained documents are cancelled and that perpetrators are deported or prosecuted as required,” Schreiber said.
Digital systems replace manual processes
The department is moving to shut down manual processes and replace them with digital systems designed to eliminate opportunities for manipulation.
Schreiber said the SIU confirmed that paper-based and manual processes have long created space for corrupt officials to overlook fraudulent documents or approve applications that do not meet regulatory requirements.
Last year, Home Affairs launched the first phase of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which enables visa applicants to apply online, capture biometrics, and receive approvals in real-time.
To date, the system has declined over 30 000 applications that did not meet requirements for tourist visas. The ETA uses machine learning to verify the authenticity of documents like passports and biometric technology to match an applicant’s face to their passport photo.
“The ETA does all of this through rules-based decision-making that is overseen by the department, but that cannot be manipulated by any official,” the minister said.
Facial recognition expansion
Working with the Border Management Authority and the South African Revenue Service, the department is expanding facial recognition capabilities to all international airports and the busiest land ports of entry.
Once complete, the ETA will become the central entry point for all tourist visas to South Africa, shutting down all other tourist visa processing, including at South African missions abroad. The system will then be expanded to additional visa categories, including study visas.
The rollout of the ETA links to work on building an Intelligent Population Register to anchor a new digital ID system, which will ensure biometrics are recorded for every person in South Africa.
Schreiber said this will eliminate identity theft by illegal immigrants, which is concentrated around the continued use of the green bar-coded identity book.
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