KZN passport fraud case postponed until Friday
Seven suspects have appeared in court in connection with an alleged syndicate in KwaZulu-Natal that helped foreign nationals gain fraudulent passports.
They were nabbed in a bust involving HomeAffairs officials and the Hawks over the weekend.
On Tuesday, the group appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court on charges of fraud, corruption, and violations of immigration and identity laws.
Among those arrested are a former Home Affairs official and a municipal volunteer.
Authorities said the group was found in possession of stolen passports, fake documents, and keys to government offices.
READ: Seven passport ‘fraudsters’ to appear in Durban court
It is understood that the fraud was carried out between 2020 and 2023 at Home Affairs offices in Isipingo, Durban Central, and Eshowe.
"The state is alleging that some officials or employees of the Department of Home Affairs acted in concert with members of the syndicate to process fraudulent passport applications at various offices of the DHA in KwaZulu-Natal," said KZN NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara.
"The fraudulent passport applications were processed for undeserving foreign nationals using the particulars of South African citizens who are lawful holders of South African identity documents but do not have passports.
"The case was remanded to 20 June 2025 for Legal Aid and bail application."
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