The African Transformation Movement (ATM) demands that anyone convicted of selling false identity documents be imprisoned without the possibility of parole.
This call comes after three people who were involved in a major passport fraud scheme were recently arrested.
Among the people detained are two nationals of Ethiopia, Mike Alex Abete and Abdo Mustefu Musa, and a South African, Lindiwe Kubheka.
The Hawks claim that Abete received R20 000 in exchange for stamping passports that were already expired.
Hawks’ steadfast commitment
It was agreed that the passports would be picked up after they were stamped. But in the end, Abete violated the contract, which led to more doubts about the honesty of the entire operation.
The ATM’s leader, Vuyolwetu Zungula, praised the Hawks for their steadfast commitment to enforcing justice in cases involving forged documents in South Africa.
He referred to this worrying state of affairs as a clear abuse of the system and stated that it is intolerable for fictitious Home Affairs officials to stamp expired passports.
Zungula highlighted the urgent need to implement stricter controls on borders to prevent such fraudulent activities from occurring in the future.
“We call for the harshest possible sentences for those involved in this fraudulent scheme,” he said.
Law should have its way
“It is imperative that the judicial system sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated.
“Those who treat our country as a banana republic must understand that their actions have consequences.
“We won’t sit idly by as greed and corruption undermine our country.”
He went on to say that the law should have its way regardless of the offenders’ nationality — whether they are South Africans or foreigners.
Lubisi report
Zungula further demands that the Lubisi report, which includes an exhaustive list of everyone who has obtained South African documents through fraud and illegal means, be made available right away.
He said this is essential in order to restore the integrity of the country’s documentation systems and thoroughly clean the South African population register.
“It is essential that we work together to ensure that our country is not a playground for criminals seeking to exploit our resources and systems for their own benefit.”
