Cabinet has welcomed the recent arrest of a Home Affairs official stationed at the Benoni office for issuing a fraudulent passport to a Bangladeshi national.

The official, Sibongile Simelane, was granted R5 000 bail in the Benoni Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, and the Bangladeshi national, Fahim Kazi, was arrested while trying to leave the country on 12 May 2022, under the name of Lebogang Ndlovu.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has also recently deported Lithuanian actress, Leva Andrejevaite, who sought to abuse South Africa’s refugee management regime when she fabricated a story of wanting to apply for asylum because of the “war in Ukraine”.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said that cabinet commends the work being done by the DHA’s Counter Corruption Unit.

“It applauds and encourages ordinary South Africans to continue to report such criminal acts. The unlawful acts of South Africans who sell their identities have far-reaching negative implications for the country’s security and socio-economic status.”

Gungubele emphasised that government will continue to deal harshly against anyone involved in illegal acts that undermine South African immigration laws, without fear or favour.

Cabinet has also welcomed the recent conviction and sentencing of a Durban teacher, Nomusa Precious Gabuza (37) – who was sentenced to three years' correctional supervision and four years' imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years, in the Umlazi Regional Court in KwaZulu-Natal – for contravening the Local Government Municipal Electoral Act, 2000 (Act 27 of 2000).

As a teacher at the school which was used as a voting station during the Municipal Elections in October 2021, Gabuza pleaded guilty for fraudulently casting 24 votes, including 12 for the Municipal Elections and 12 for the Ward Elections.

Cabinet said that the conviction and sentencing underscored the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s commitment to intervene timeously and apply consequence management.

“This is also a strong affirmation of the electoral systems, which have since been strengthened with the introduction of the Voter Management Device that prevents double voting.

“Cabinet affirmed that elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and must be protected at all costs,” said the Minister.

Source: South African Government News Agency