Home affairs’ massive hiring spree set to dust-up corruption and digitize civil documents

Defrauding services of the department of home affairs has grown exponentially in the country.

Earlier this year, corrupt home affairs officials and foreign nationals were apprehended in Krugersdorp, Gauteng province for defrauding the SA’s passport system.

It was further reported that the expelled corrupt home affairs officials were in cohort with foreign nationals in these activities, this was revealed by home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi when he announced expulsion of the two officials for their fraud-related activity in July.

As a result of counterfeit passports South Africa continues to suffer serious consequences and hardships.

In order to maintain the credibility of the country’s passport system, the government reiterates that they cannot allow this corruption behaviour to continue.

On Tuesday, September 13, Motsoaledi addressed during a portfolio committee that his department has reinforced measures to curb criminal elements that strike the department.

He also slammed controversial and self-proclaimed prophet Sherpard Bushiri’s saga that headlined the news, citing that, the home affairs official who was at the helm of the controversial case was charged for gross dishonesty, gross negligence, noncompliance with the immigration act, regulation and standard operating procedures.

While other four officials were placed on precautionary suspension for aiding and abetting connection in this matter.

“Bushiri has a permanent South African residency, certain home affairs officials gave it to him in what is believed to be a fraudulent scheme,” said Motsoaledi.

The minister confirmed that on the department’s movement control system, there is no record of the Bushiris’ leaving the country, “this means that he and his wife fled the country illegally,” said Motsoaledi.

Motsoaledi said the matter is currently under arbitration.

Moreover, Motsoaledi said foreign led churches have a huge impact on ordinary south African citizens.

“`Based on the findings of the commission, the department amended its legislation to provide the issuance of visitors’ visas, instead of work visas, to foreign religious leaders workers to immigrate to permanent residence status.

“We are saying they must come only as visitors, but [only] as visitors who can perform work duties,” he said.

This change means there’s no avenue available for these religious workers to migrate to permanent residence status, in order to acquire relevant visas, foreign religious leaders must follow due processes and meet requirements in terms of the immigration Act 2002, that is why the law had to be amended,” addressed Motsoaledi.

Last month, the department made an announcement of a digitization programme where over, 10 000 unemployed youth will be placed under an internship period to assist the department to digitize its civic paper records.

Motsoaledi said his department considers using technology to improve the way it renders services to the people and to ameliorate the security of documents.

He added that, the project to digitize all of its civic records has been commissioned; “the primary object of digitization
of records will enable the optimum realization of its core mandate and as such records will be easily
accessed for service delivery purposes,” said Motsoaledi.

According to their statement, the department has more than 350 million inactive and active paper records, and a decision was taken to prioritise the digitization of birth, marriage and amendments records.

The department in collaboration with the employment and labour department calls for youth in the 18-35 age bracket and people with disabilities to register on ESSA and apply for this enriching opportunity at: https://essa.labour.gov.za/EssaOnline/WebBeans .

Alternatively they can visit their closest labour centre of the department of employment and labour. Closing date is today.

Candidates who are successful will be assigned to the department’s offices in the Gauteng and North West provinces effectively from November 1, 2022 until October 31, 2025.

All posts require relevant qualifications.