Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has welcomed the arrest of a BMA official accused of corruption, as authorities intensify efforts to tackle wrongdoing within the immigration system.
A Border Management Authority (BMA) official has been arrested for allegedly accepting a R600 payment to unlawfully endorse the passport of a Lesotho national at the Maseru Port of Entry.
The arrest follows a joint investigation by the Department of Home Affairs’ Counter Corruption branch, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence division and Ladybrand Detectives.
According to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, the official was arrested on Thursday as part of an ongoing crackdown on corruption within the Home Affairs ecosystem and efforts to strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system.
The official allegedly endorsed the passport of the Lesotho national on June 29, despite the individual not presenting herself at the immigration counter as required by law.
