JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is stepping up efforts to root out corruption and fraud at its borders and ports of entry, with officials implicated in misconduct facing disciplinary action, dismissal and criminal charges, an official said Friday.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) handled 57 labor and disciplinary cases involving breaches of internal controls, fraud, corruption and other misconduct in the last quarter, while 33 cases remain under disciplinary proceedings, BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato said during a quarterly anti-corruption campaign at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
The campaign brought together government and law-enforcement bodies including the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the Department of Home Affairs and the National Prosecuting Authority.
Masiapato said corruption at ports of entry could involve border guards, immigration and customs officials, port operators and others exercising discretionary powers.
Such misconduct includes colluding with travelers or third parties to evade duties and taxes, facilitating the movement of illicit goods, soliciting bribes for routine services and fraudulently issuing travel or immigration documents, he said.
In February, the SIU said South Africa's immigration system had been treated as "a marketplace," where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder through corrupt networks involving officials and external actors.
The Department of Home Affairs said at the time that it had identified more than 2,000 study visas fraudulently issued through such syndicates and that administrative processes were underway to cancel them.
Rooting out corruption in the immigration system is also part of the government's comprehensive approach to migration management adopted in June. President Cyril Ramaphosa said when announcing the measures that the government would strengthen border security, crack down on violations of immigration laws and continue efforts to eliminate corruption in the immigration system.
