Pressure is mounting on the government to act decisively after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) uncovered what it describes as systemic corruption and manipulation within the Department of Home Affairs.
The SIU’s investigation revealed recurring schemes involving document fraud, the manipulation of visas and work permits, and facilitation networks that allegedly enabled unauthorised entry into South Africa.
According to the report, officials entrusted with safeguarding the country’s immigration system instead turned their positions into profit-making operations.
The findings have triggered strong reactions from political parties and civic organisations, many of whom argue that the issue goes beyond administrative misconduct and speaks to a broader institutional crisis.
Vuyo Zungula, leader of the ATM, has formally written to President Cyril Ramaphosa, warning that the implications of the SIU’s findings extend far beyond isolated wrongdoing.
“I write in my capacity as leader of the African Transformation Movement in Parliament regarding the investigation conducted by the Special Investigating Unit into the Department of Home Affairs under your proclamation,” Zungula said.
“The outcomes announced publicly reveal systemic corruption and the unlawful manipulation of immigration processes, including the alleged sale of visas, permits, and identity documentation. These findings point not to isolated misconduct, but to serious institutional compromise affecting national sovereignty and border integrity.”
Zungula raised concerns that individuals who may have fraudulently secured documentation or residency could currently be occupying senior positions in government or state-owned entities.
“South Africa cannot ignore the possibility that individuals who secured their status or positions unlawfully may now be embedded in high offices of influence,” he wrote.
“If such persons are using fraudulently obtained positions to shape policy, influence procurement, direct strategic decisions, or advance agendas not aligned with the national interest, the implications are grave. This is not only a corruption issue but a matter of national security and constitutional integrity.”
The EFF described the SIU report as “damning,” saying it exposes two decades of corruption inside the department.
“The report confirms that Home Affairs has been systematically captured by criminal syndicates operating from within the state itself,” the party said.
The EFF added that when immigration systems are manipulated to protect individuals facing serious allegations, “it ceases to be administrative misconduct and becomes political protection of impunity.”
ActionSA so-called for urgent consequences, arguing that the investigation confirms what many citizens have long suspected.
“Our immigration system has been reduced to a marketplace where permits and visas are sold to the highest bidder,” the party said.
“While we commend the SIU for its work, it is deeply concerning that it has taken years to formally investigate practices that have been widely known and spoken about for decades.”
ActionSA highlighted findings that allegedly link visa approvals directly to bribe payments, with funds moving within days of permits being issued. Officials reportedly used spouses’ bank accounts and third-party intermediaries to launder illicit proceeds.
“Shockingly, four officials earning less than R25 000 per month reportedly received more than R16 million in unexplained deposits,” the party said.
The Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents the majority of employees at Home Affairs, has called for an urgent overhaul of systems within the department.
“The investigation into visa and permits processing was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa in terms of Proclamation 154 of 2024,” the union said.
“The SIU has uncovered massive permit and visa fraud at the Department, with South African borders being compromised. Findings further indicated that the permit system was turned into a marketplace.”
The PSA said the SIU uncovered coordinated networks involving religious figures and syndicates exploiting fraudulent documentation, falsified financial records, and marriages of convenience to manipulate the immigration system.
Saturday Star