Durban – A home affairs official was arrested in Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday for allegedly selling identity books to foreign nationals, the department said.
Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said the official was arrested in a sting operation after the department had been tipped off about his operation.
“He was even delivering the documents,” said Tshwete. “He was nabbed with a foreign national.”
Tshwete said it was not clear how many identity documents had been delivered by the official.
Police spokesman Major Thulane Zwane confirmed the official’s arrest, and stated that the accused is a 46-year old man.
Zwane said that the official’s activities came to light after a 27-year old Swazi national, who worked in an Eshowe barber shop, was arrested earlier in the month.
“She was in possession of a Swaziland passport and an RSA identity document with different names,” said Zwane.
“According to Home Affairs, the RSA identification document was fraudulent and she was charged.”
Zwane reported that the woman had already appeared twice in court and had pleaded guilty to being in the country illegally and of being in possession of a fraudulently obtained identity document.
The home affairs official is expected to appear in the Eshowe Magistrate’s court on Monday on a charge of fraud.
ANA