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SIU says Shepherd Bushiri’s permanent residence was approved by Home Affairs official from his church
SIU found officials earning under R25,000 monthly received R16 million via fraudulent visa sales benefiting religious leaders, prompting disciplinary actions and visa cancellations.
- On Monday, SIU acting head Leonard Lekgetho unveiled interim findings showing Department of Home Affairs officials unlawfully issued visas, implicating religious leader Shepherd Bushiri.
- Prompted by whistleblower tips, the SIU opened an inquiry that was presidentially authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa, with Leonard Lekgetho saying it exposed syndicates in the visa system.
- Investigators found payments routed through e-Wallets and spouses' accounts to hide bribes, while the SIU and the Hawks searched five refugee reception offices, seizing laptops, phones and files tied to expedited WhatsApp applications.
- Disciplinary processes and criminal referrals have been opened, the SIU said, with 12 officials dismissed since last year and more than 2,000 study visas identified for cancellation, while ETA declined over 30,000 applications.
- The SIU's 20-year review underpins proposed digital reforms, with Home Affairs recommending automated biometric visa processing by the end of the administration.
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SIU unveils large-scale issuance of fraudulent permits by some home affairs officials – The Mail & Guardian
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) had uncovered wide-scale fraudulent issuance of permits, including to controversial faith leaders Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso, by some officials at the department of home affairs, its acting head said on Monday. Releasing an interim report from an investigation authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa, acting SIU boss Leonard Lekgetho said a whistleblower had alleged that foreign nationals entered the…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution34% Left, 33% Center, 33% Right
Bias Distribution
- 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
34% Left
L 34%
C 33%
R 33%
Factuality
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