Two Home Affairs officials accused of helping foreign nationals fraudulently obtain South African passports by using the identity details of citizens have appeared in the Germiston Magistrates’ Court.
David Motsamai, 35, and Lufu Mulaudzi, 39, who were stationed at the department’s Germiston office, face multiple counts of fraud, with alternative charges relating to alleged contraventions of the Immigration Act.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said the case stemmed from an investigation launched in 2021 under Project Humulani into an alleged passport fraud syndicate.
The State alleges that the scheme involved unlawfully using the identity details of South African citizens by replacing their photographs with those of foreign nationals.
This allegedly enabled foreign nationals to obtain South African passports fraudulently while concealing their true identities and immigration status.
According to the State, Motsamai and Mulaudzi allegedly acted in common purpose with other individuals, some of whom have not yet been identified.
The charges relate to multiple alleged incidents involving the fraudulent use of South African citizens’ identity details in passport applications processed at the Germiston Home Affairs office.
The case places renewed focus on the alleged abuse of official processes intended to protect the integrity of South Africa’s identity and travel documents.
Both accused were granted bail of R5,000 each.
The matter was postponed to October 26, 2026, for transfer to the Regional Court.
The NPA welcomed the continued progress of Project Humulani, saying the investigation was aimed at addressing alleged corruption and criminal conduct linked to the fraudulent acquisition of South African identity and travel documents.
“The integrity of South Africa’s identity and passport system is critical to maintaining public confidence and protecting the country’s immigration and identity-management systems,” Mohlatlole said.
She said those who allegedly abused positions of public trust to facilitate fraudulent access to official documents must be held accountable where the evidence supported prosecution.
The NPA said it remained committed to working with law enforcement agencies to dismantle criminal syndicates, protect the country’s identity-management systems and ensure that those implicated in criminal activities were brought before the courts.
