The Serious Corruption Investigation component of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, based in Pretoria, has arrested an additional two suspects in the ongoing operation that began on 14 June 2025, in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing the number of those arrested to seven.

The execution operation emanates from a complaint from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) relating to the issuance of fraudulent passports to undocumented foreign nationals. 

The allegations reported serious offences include corruption, fraud and the contraventions of the Identification Act and Immigration Act, which took place between February 2020 and July 2023. A group of South African citizens allegedly facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of South African passports by foreign nationals at DHA offices in Durban, specifically at the Commercial Street branch. 

These unlawful activities took place outside of regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, when the DHA offices were officially closed.

Preliminary investigations by the DHA confirmed that the criminal activities were conducted after hours, where the local citizens were offered R300 to R1 000 in exchange for their cooperation, particularly at DHA offices in Isipingo, Durban Central and Eshowe -- resulting in a case being opened for investigation by Serious Corruption Investigation.

Thus far, a total of 38 individuals have been previously arrested in the matter from September 2022 to date. Of those arrested, seven are DHA officials, while 31 are private citizens. 

About 24 individuals, four of whom are DHA officials, have been convicted and sentenced to a combined sentence of 310 years imprisonment.

The other five suspects were arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation on 14 June 2025 in various parts of Durban and will face charges of corruption, fraud, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Identification Act.

The DPCI is not ruling out the possibility of more suspects being arrested. –