The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, has unveiled a plan to root out corruption within South Africa’s border management and immigration systems. Speaking at the launch of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum, Schreiber made it clear that this initiative is not about promises but about the significant strides already being made in tackling corruption.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Schreiber emphasised the extent to which corruption has infiltrated public institutions, exacerbated by the legacy of state capture. He warned that South Africa is at risk of becoming a ‘syndicate society’ where criminal networks dictate access to services instead of the democratic state. The border management and immigration sectors, he noted, have not been spared, with syndicates operating within Home Affairs to defraud both South Africans and immigrants.

The Minister stressed that fighting corruption requires more than just treating its symptoms. Instead, efforts must focus on enforcing accountability and simultaneously reforming the system to eliminate loopholes that criminals exploit. The government is making significant progress on both fronts.

Between July 2024 and February 2025, 27 officials from the Department of Home Affairs were dismissed for offences including fraud, corruption, and misconduct. Since November 2024 alone, nine additional dismissals have taken place, with more expected once ongoing appeals are concluded. Furthermore, eight officials have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 18 years, while 19 others face ongoing criminal prosecution.

Schreiber cited a high-profile case in which Pakistani national Afran Ahmed was sentenced to 18 years in prison for selling South African passports to foreign nationals for R45,000 each. At the Border Management Authority (BMA), 10 officials have been dismissed for corruption, while an additional 45 cases are under investigation.

One of the key achievements in the anti-corruption drive is a major legal breakthrough in the Labour Court, which now allows external chairpersons to oversee disciplinary hearings. This precedent, which changes the interpretation of collective agreements in place since 2001, will enable more impartial disciplinary processes across government and prevent corrupt officials from protecting one another.

The Minister also highlighted decisive action against high-profile figures implicated in state capture. Shortly after assuming office, he initiated a process under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act that led to the revocation of South African citizenship for a senior member of the Gupta family. Additional measures are underway to ensure justice is served for the way Home Affairs was exploited during state capture.

Beyond accountability, the government is implementing systemic reforms aimed at closing the space for discretion that enables fraud and corruption. Digital transformation is at the heart of this initiative. Paper-based visa documents are being replaced with an Electronic Travel Authorisation system that utilises artificial intelligence and machine learning for adjudication. Secure digital documents, including a digital ID system announced in the State of the Nation Address, will phase out the outdated green ID book. Automated entry and exit systems will also be introduced at ports of entry, with all airports prioritised before expanding to land and sea borders.

The Minister underscored that these digital reforms would make corruption more difficult by eliminating paper documents that can be lost or manipulated and reducing human discretion that allows for bribery and fraud.

Schreiber concluded by asserting that the fight against corruption is not merely a policy goal but a national imperative. He described the work being done as the most comprehensive corruption clean-up in South African history.

“This is not a talk shop or a promise of what will be done,” he stated. “It is a stocktaking of what is already being achieved. Corrupt officials are being disciplined and fired, prosecutions are underway, and systemic changes are being implemented to rid our institutions of the syndicates that seek to hold us hostage. This fight is a beacon of hope, demonstrating that corruption can be defeated, accountability can be enforced, and digital transformation can roll back state capture and syndicate control once and for all.”