SIU says Shepherd Bushiri’s permanent residence was approved by Home Affairs official from his church
Charismatic preacher and leader of the Jesus Nation Church, formerly the Enlightened Christian Gathering in Pretoria, Shepherd Bushiri, pictured in Joburg with his wife Mary. The SIU says his permanent residence permit was approved by a church member employed at Home Affairs.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo/ IOL
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says its investigation into the Department of Home Affairs has uncovered systemic corruption in which immigration permits and visas were effectively sold through organised syndicates involving officials and external actors.
Reading from a prepared statement on Monday in Pretoria, acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said: “The Special Investigating Unit has uncovered a disturbing reality: South Africa’s immigration system has been treated as a marketplace, where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder.”
The investigation was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024. An interim report has been submitted to the President and the findings were made public during Monday’s press conference.
Lekgetho said officials entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of Home Affairs had instead “turned their positions into profit-making schemes”, while external actors exploited systemic weaknesses to secure fraudulent residence permits.
The SIU revealed that in May 2024 it conducted search-and-seizure operations at five Refugee Reception Offices, assisted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), after a whistleblower alleged foreign nationals were fraudulently obtaining asylum seeker permits and using them to secure permanent residence and ultimately citizenship.
A total of 237 electronic items were imaged for forensic analysis. Cellphone analysis revealed communication between officials and foreign nationals, with payments via e-Wallet ranging from R500 to R3,000 to facilitate unlawful permit approvals.
The SIU said payments were concealed in various ways, including cash hidden inside application forms, e-Wallet deposits using fraudulently registered numbers, asylum seekers sending e-Wallet payments to themselves and sharing OTPs with officials, and in-kind payments such as covering private rent.
“The SIU’s investigation paints a disturbing picture of systemic corruption within the Department of Home Affairs,” Lekgetho said.
Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho was appointed as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) new Acting Head.
Image: Supplied
Faith as a gateway
The SIU said it identified a coordinated network of religious figures exploiting immigration systems through fraudulent documentation, fake retirement confirmations, falsified financial means, marriages of convenience and syndicate-backed sponsorships.
Among those highlighted by the SIU was popular charismatic preacher Shepherd Bushiri, now based in Malawi.
The SIU said Bushiri’s Permanent Residence Permit was approved by an adjudicator who was a member of his church, ECG Ministries, describing this as a clear conflict of interest.
Bushiri’s application was supported by what the SIU described as a fraudulent letter of financial independence signed by a chartered accountant who admitted he was paid merely for his signature.
Investigations further revealed that USD 1.2 million in cash was paid from his non-profit company at Lanseria Airport as proof of aircraft purchase, raising concerns of money laundering and misuse of religious donations.
The SIU said Bushiri held directorships in 14 companies and owned multiple properties in Pretoria.
“Our investigators found that ‘religious donations were converted into bricks, mortar, and corporate shares,’” Lekgetho said.
Omotoso waiver
The SIU also detailed findings relating to Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso.
“Pastor Timothy Omotoso’s modus operandi was fundamentally built on fraud and misrepresentation to gain entry into, and subsequent residence in, South Africa,” Lekgetho said.
According to the SIU, Omotoso’s initial entry was secured through a fraudulently obtained work permit issued in a country where he was not a citizen, based on an unauthorised directive. He allegedly provided conflicting information about his travel history and residency and submitted affidavits claiming lost documentation to avoid producing verified credentials.
When his visa renewal was denied, he petitioned for a ministerial waiver.
“The investigation revealed that this waiver was unlawfully granted by an official without the necessary delegated authority,” Lekgetho said.
Wider impact
The SIU said it traced financial gains exceeding R181 million linked to beneficiaries of fraudulent visa applications supported by fake documentation.
It also uncovered identity fraud schemes involving fingerprint substitution and DNA sample manipulation to favour foreign nationals applying for permanent residence permits.
The SIU has made recommendations to strengthen contract management, vet all employees, improve verification processes, integrate systems across departments, and enforce stricter compliance mechanisms within Home Affairs.
“The findings make one thing clear: South Africa’s immigration system was treated as a commodity. Permits and visas were sold, traded, and laundered,” Lekgetho said.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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