Seven in court after passport fraud syndicate busted

A major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against corruption within the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) unfolded in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court this week, as seven alleged members of a passport fraud syndicate appeared before the magistrate on Tuesday.

The accused, Mmeli Philani Trevor Zaca (also known as Dlamini), Thandiwe Pretty Khwela, Zime Anita Shange, Fumani Hlayisi, Bongiwe Kubheka, Lindokuhle Bongumusa Mpanza, and Lungisani Siyanda Mzobe, face a range of charges including fraud, contraventions of the Identification Act, violations of the Immigration Act, and corruption related to accepting gratification.

According to Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal, the suspects are alleged to have conspired with DHA employees to process fraudulent passport applications at several offices across the province, including Durban’s uMgeni and Commercial Road branches.

ALSO READ: High-ranking cops dismissed after being found guilty of tender fraud

What makes the case particularly disturbing, said Ramkisson-Kara, is that the applications were processed after hours, over weekends, and even on public holidays – times when DHA offices are officially closed.

The scam involved using the legitimate details of South African citizens who did not have passports to generate fraudulent travel documents for foreign nationals, enabling them to obtain passports they were not entitled to.

The suspects were remanded in custody and the matter was postponed to June 20, 2025 for bail applications and legal aid arrangements.

This case stems from a collaborative investigation by the DHA’s Directorate for Counter Corruption and Security Services and the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Component, under the guidance of the NPA. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, it was revealed that among those arrested were a former DHA official from the Prospecton office, a municipal volunteer at the Commercial Road office, and members of the public. One suspect was found in possession of 226 stolen passports, along with keys to two DHA offices and copies of identity documents that did not belong to him.

ALSO READ: Men in court for alleged Home Affairs contraventions

This follows a recent Home Affairs-led operation aimed at dismantling corruption in the department. Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber noted that the operation is a continuation of a broader crackdown that has seen 33 corrupt officials dismissed and eight offenders convicted, receiving prison sentences of between four and 18 years.

He said, “This latest operation lands another blow in our ongoing cleanup campaign. The only way to win the war against corruption is to ensure criminals are arrested and prosecuted while modernising our systems to shut the doors on syndicates.”