A foreign national who rose to senior management within a North West government entity has been convicted and sentenced for fraud after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) uncovered his crime.
Law enforcement uncovered a web of illegally obtained documents that enabled him to unlawfully live, work, and prosper in South Africa.
Kudakwashe Mpofu, the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the North West Development Corporation (NWDC), was sentenced by the Mmabatho Regional Court on two counts of fraud.
Mpofu, a Zimbabwean national, had secured high-level employment and other benefits using a series of fake immigration documents.
“This conviction sends a strong message that the fraudulent acquisition of official documents, and the illicit benefits derived from them, will be met with the full might of the law,” the SIU said.
Sentencing and conviction
For the first count of fraud, Mpofu received a three-year prison sentence. The sentence includes the possibility of correctional supervision. However, this is at the discretion of the Commissioner of Correctional Services or a parole board.
On the second count, he was handed another three-year sentence. And it was wholly suspended for five years, on condition he avoids any further fraud- or corruption-related offences.
The conviction follows an SIU investigation initiated through Proclamation No. 154 of 2024. It authorised a probe into serious maladministration within the Department of Home Affairs, including the unlawful issuance of visas, permits, and citizenship documents.
Fraudulent permits, documents
The SIU’s investigation began after an anonymous tip-off to the Department of Home Affairs’ Counter Corruption Unit in July 2023.
“The investigation focuses on the illegal or improper issuance of various visas and permits. These include permanent residence, corporate, business, critical skills, study, and retired persons visas, as well as citizenship by naturalisation,” according to the SIU.
Investigators found that Mpofu, who entered South Africa legally on a study visa, remained in the country after it expired. He later purchased a fraudulent Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) for R3, 000. He bought this from an entity called MRM Trading Enterprise and Investment.
Further investigation revealed that Mpofu possessed additional fraudulent immigration documents. These include a Critical/Exceptional Skills Visa, a Work Permit, and an Exemption Certificate. They were allegedly issued in 1996, when he was only five years old.
Illicit benefits, gains
Using these counterfeit documents, Mpofu secured lucrative employment at the NWDC. He served as an assets manager from May 2021 to May 2023. And he had an annual salary of R900, 000. Later as CFO from June 2023, earning over R1.6-million per year.
The fraudulent documents also enabled him to obtain a traffic register number. This allowed him to secure a learner’s and driver’s licence, as well as vehicle finance. The finance was used to purchase several high-end cars, including a Land Rover Sport, a BMW 3 Series, and a Ford Ranger.
The SIU hailed the outcome as a testament to effective collaboration between state institutions committed to combating fraud and corruption.
“This conviction sends a strong message that the fraudulent acquisition of official documents, and the illicit benefits derived from them, will be met with the full might of the law,” the SIU said.
