During an awareness campaign at Maseru Bridge PoE, Dr Masiapato of the BMA revealed 38 officials are facing disciplinary action for corruption.
Image: Social Media
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has placed 38 officials under disciplinary action as part of an ongoing crackdown on corruption at South Africa’s ports of entry.
This follows the earlier dismissal of 50 immigration officers found guilty of corrupt activities.
IOL previously reported that the BMA fired over 50 officials caught facilitating illegal entry and selling visas.
This was revealed during an awareness campaign at the Maseru Bridge Port of Entry (PoE) on Tuesday, as part of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF).
Addressing the officials at the Maseru Bridge PoE, Dr Michael Masiapato, Commissioner and CEO of the BMA, sent a clear and uncompromising message: corruption will not be tolerated within South Africa’s border management.
He highlighted the significance of the BMIACF in confronting corruption, emphasising that it brings together law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to address the issue.
Dr. Michael Masiapato, Commissioner and CEO of the BMA, delivered a stern warning to officials during the campaign, stressing that corruption would not be tolerated and those implicated would face serious consequences.
He announced that 50 immigration officers had already been dismissed after being found guilty of corruption, and a further 38 officials were undergoing disciplinary procedures.
“Fifty immigration officers who were performing duties at ports of entry have already been dismissed,” he said.
“At this moment, another thirty-eight officials are undergoing disciplinary processes after being implicated in corrupt activities, and most of them are likely to be dismissed.”
''If you are not part of the fifty who have already lost their jobs or the thirty-eight currently facing disciplinary action, make sure you never become part of that statistic,'' he said.
The Commissioner further explained the damage that corruption does to South Africa’s border security, emphasising its impact on public trust.
“Corruption undermines the integrity of our ports of entry and weakens public trust in the institutions responsible for safeguarding the country,” he added.
The awareness campaign is part of a broader strategy to prevent corruption, ensuring that all officials understand the consequences of unethical conduct.
''We expect all officials to carry out their duties with honesty, professionalism, and accountability — without fear, favour, or compromise,” he said.
Masiapato said the BMIACF, chaired by Acting Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho, continues to intensify efforts to expose and eliminate corruption within the border management and immigration environment.
Lekgetho also participated in the event.He highlighted the proactive measures that the SIU has introduced to detect and prevent corruption before it occurs.
“These measures are designed to detect and prevent corruption before it occurs,” Lekgetho said, referring to the National Corruption Risk Management and Prevention Framework developed by the SIU.
The framework includes lifestyle audits, employee vetting, advanced data analytics, and other technology-driven tools aimed at identifying irregularities at an early stage.
Since its establishment in 2025, Masiapato said the BMIACF has served as a collaborative platform where law-enforcement agencies, civil society and business work together to confront systemic corruption and illicit activities affecting the sector.
''The forum brings together key institutions including the Department of Home Affairs, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI, also known as the Hawks) alongside civil society organisations,'' he said.
This collaboration reflects the government’s approach to tackling corruption through coordinated action, information sharing, and strengthened enforcement, said Masiapato.
''The message is clear: safeguarding the country’s ports requires ethical leadership, personal responsibility, and zero tolerance for corruption,'' he said.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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