A 38-year-old foreign national has been arrested in Benoni after authorities uncovered what they believe was an operation producing fraudulent South African documents from an internet café.
The suspect was taken into custody by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) on Bedford Avenue on Monday following an investigation linked to fake electricity receipts found in an informal settlement.
According to EMPD spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa, the investigation began after the Ekurhuleni Human Settlements Department identified residents in the Chief Albert Luthuli informal settlement in Cloverdene using allegedly fraudulent electricity payment receipts.
Officers questioned one of the individuals found with the fake documentation, who then reportedly cooperated with authorities and led them to the source of the documents.
Police were directed to an internet café operating along Bedford Avenue in Benoni, where the suspect was allegedly running the operation.
Police seize fake IDs, licences and permits
During questioning, the suspect allegedly admitted that the fraudulent electricity receipts had been printed at the shop and claimed he sold the documents for R250 each.
Authorities said the investigation uncovered a range of suspected fake documents, including South African smart ID cards, appointment letters, work permits, traffic registration documents, and foreign driver’s licences.
Law enforcement officers also confiscated equipment believed to have been used in the production of the fraudulent documents.
The suspect was arrested on charges of fraud and contravention of South Africa’s Immigration Act. He remains in custody at the Benoni Police Station and is expected to appear in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court soon.
The case comes amid growing concern over document fraud and illegal immigration-related activities in parts of South Africa.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that fraudulent documentation networks undermine immigration systems, public administration, and service delivery processes.
Separate corruption case targets senior immigration official
In a separate development, a senior immigration officer in Mpumalanga has also appeared in court following allegations of corruption involving a foreign national.
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit arrested 50-year-old Veli Malambe earlier this week. He later appeared briefly in the White River Magistrate’s Court.
Investigators allege that Malambe solicited a bribe after arresting a foreign national accused of operating as a street vendor without a valid work permit.
Officials have not disclosed the nationality of the individual involved.
The Hawks said investigations into the matter are continuing.
The two cases have once again highlighted concerns around immigration enforcement, corruption, and fraudulent documentation networks operating in parts of the country.
Source: Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Unit
