South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has traced the dirty official who unlawfully issued a SA passport to the Bangladesh national arrested at O.R. Tambo International Airport on Wednesday before he could leave the country.
“We have traced where this passport was issued and which corrupt Home Affairs official issued it,” said SA Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi on Friday.
“The corrupt official who issued it is one of those who are on the radar of the Department’s Counter Corruption Branch, hence another arrest is imminent.”
The minister said upon further investigation, home affairs uncovered that this Bangladeshi national had applied for asylum in December 2015 and his application was rejected “because he is definitely not in need of asylum”.
“He has been appealing through the elaborate appeals system in SA ever since,” said Dr. Motsoaledi.
“Another important fact to note is that he was found in possession of a travel permit purportedly issued by the ‘Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’ as recently as 26 April 2022.
“The significance of this is that an asylum seeker cannot have any document issued by the country of origin because they are supposed to have run away from there.”
The minister said his department was “extremely concerned” about the abuse of the asylum system of our country.
“We will not tire or be dissuaded from fighting to eliminate corruption in all areas of Home Affairs, whether perpetrated by a foreign national or a South African. We will continue arresting all of them,” said Dr. Motsoaledi.
