On 3 March 2021 the Minister of Home Affairs released a media statement to announce the setting up of a task team to investigate some permits which were issued since 2004. The need to set up the task team emanated from the findings of the department’s Counter Corruption Unit (CCU), which investigates corrupt activities by officials of the department as per section 47 of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002. Therefore this exercise is meant to identify and improve on loopholes in the department’s systems, in order to have the immigration system contribute to the economic growth of the Republic.
The Minister was quoted as saying outcomes from the CCU’s investigation of prominent people had found that 66 percent of the issued permits were done so in ways that are not above board. Further, during investigations in November 2020 about 14 department officials in the permit section signed a petition to have the investigations stopped. This then strengthened the resolve to have the investigations done, which culminated in the setting up of the task team to investigate the following types of Visas/Permits issued since 2004 when the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 came into effect;
- Permanent residence permits;
- Corporate Visas (especially in mining sector);
- Business Visas;
- Critical Skills Visas;
- Retired Persons Visas;
- Citizenship by naturalisation;
- Study Visas.
In the event that any Permit or Visa is found to have been issued fraudulently, the Department of Home Affairs is empowered and may take the following measures;
- To revoke such Permit/Visa;
- Refer the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution of the department official and the holder of such fraudulent permit;
- Declare the holder of the fraudulent Visa/Permit as an undesirable person.
The above consequences are grievous, we strongly advise that one needs to avoid such at all costs. Our service sculpt is firmly built on lawful immigration through lawful processes, so that one can have peace of mind while attending to activities duly authorised on their lawfully issued Visa/permit. We have assisted hundreds of happy clients who have fond memories of the service they received from Immigration Law Associates.
We stand ready to assist in a wide array of legal immigration matters so that you can explore and pursue your opportunities across borders legally. Our approach is professional, comprehensive and counters the hurdles in immigration. Contact us for an appointment and consultation.
The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legally binding advice on any subject matter. One should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this site without seeking legal or other professional advice. The contents of this site contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address one’s peculiar situation. We disclaim all liability for actions one may take or fail to take based on any content on this site.
