South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has intensified its campaign against corruption, dismissing seven officials during 2026 while investigations continue into hundreds of alleged misconduct cases involving departmental employees.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the department’s strengthened anti-corruption strategy is producing tangible results through dismissals, arrests and criminal prosecutions aimed at restoring public confidence in one of the country’s most critical government departments.
Schreiber warned that officials involved in corruption, together with members of the public who facilitate fraudulent activities, should expect increased enforcement action as investigations continue.
He said the department remains committed to removing corrupt officials through disciplinary processes while ensuring criminal offences are prosecuted through the courts.
The latest enforcement actions follow several successful operations conducted in recent months.
In May 2026, six people were arrested in connection with Home Affairs-related corruption and fraud investigations.
One case involved a naturalised South African citizen accused of falsely claiming paternity of five foreign children, allegedly enabling them to be unlawfully registered on the National Population Register using South African identity documentation.
In a separate operation, a senior immigration officer stationed at the White River Home Affairs office was arrested on allegations of corruption after reportedly demanding payment before returning identity and travel documents belonging to a Mozambican national.
Another breakthrough followed in July when a Border Management Authority (BMA) official was arrested after an investigation involving the South African Police Service, Ladybrand detectives and the department’s Counter-Corruption Unit.
Authorities allege the official accepted a bribe of R600 to unlawfully endorse the passport of a Lesotho national at the Maseru Border Post.
Hundreds of corruption investigations remain active
Schreiber previously revealed that 212 cases involving Home Affairs officials had been referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution since April 2023.
The department said it continues working closely with police and prosecuting authorities to ensure implicated officials are held accountable through both disciplinary and criminal processes.
A specialised multi-disciplinary anti-corruption initiative established during the 2023/24 financial year has focused particularly on passport fraud and identity-related crimes.
That investigation resulted in the arrest of the alleged leader of a passport fraud syndicate together with 26 other suspects during September 2023 before expanding into several provinces.
Subsequent investigations led to additional arrests involving Home Affairs officials, South African citizens and foreign nationals.
Dismissals and convictions continue to increase
According to Schreiber, 27 officials linked to major corruption investigations have been dismissed, while eight have been convicted and sentenced to a combined 97 years’ imprisonment.
Individual prison sentences have ranged from four to 18 years.
In one case, a convicted official sentenced to 10 years in prison was also ordered by the court to repay the bribes received through corrupt activities.
The minister added that six additional officials were convicted during the previous two financial years for offences including selling birth certificates and issuing fraudulent death certificates.
One official who attempted to bribe a Counter-Corruption investigator with R10,000 to halt an investigation into irregular visa approvals was sentenced to three years’ direct imprisonment by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Responding to parliamentary questions, Schreiber also disclosed that the Department of Home Affairs dismissed 43 officials during the 2023/24 financial year, 49 during 2024/25 and a further 22 during 2025/26, bringing the total number of dismissals over the three-year period to 114.
The department says it will continue strengthening internal oversight while working with law enforcement agencies to combat fraud, corruption and organised criminal activity within the immigration and civil registration system.
Source: Department of Home Affairs; Parliament of South Africa.