Security industry players fed up with Home Affairs corruption

A movement representing community patrollers across the country, Put Patrollers First South Africa (PPF SA), took to the streets of Tshwane, calling for an end to alleged corruption at the Home Affairs Department.

Some concerned South Africans also joined the patrollers, collectively giving their list of demands to the Home Affairs officials at the department’s head office in Pretoria.

Amongst some of the protestors’ cries is alleged unlawful issuing of citizenship and documentation to undocumented foreign nationals, who the group accuses of stealing their jobs and also exacerbating the already high-crime rate in the country.

They also want officials responsible for corruption at the Home Affairs Department to be held liable for their unlawful acts.

They believe that the country’s “persistent failure to prosecute corrupt officials, creates a culture of impunity.”

Put Patrollers First SA’s National Spokesperson, Sabelo Zwane, says they are sick and tired of being over-looked, and want South Africans to be given first preference for job placements.

“One problem we are faced with on a daily basis is being over looked, while foreign nationals are being given certificates and permits to work in South Africa. South Africans can’t even get access to those opportunities,” Zwane told YNews.

They want Minister Leon Schreiber’s attention, seeking to find out why their enquiries end up in smoke.

“Firstly, we would like to meet with the Home Affairs Minister so that he can explain to us why is that we are being overlooked and why corruption isn’t coming to an end,” says Zwane.

“…they have been saying they want to put an end to corruption, yet it is still there; It hasn’t ended. When will we say: Now it has ended?,” he adds.

One furious member of PPF SA, Monica Bow, called for the sacking of some home affairs officials who, she says, their actions are are questionable, and need to be called out.

She also claims that a witness who had to testify against one undocumented migrant, Tarrique Baarti, was barred from doing so.

“Home Affairs is supposed to fix their misconduct. They’re supposed to fire the people involved. I stand here today with papers that I want to throw at them, where it shows that people have been in the country illegally and suddenly became legal on the system. We have a guy by the name of Tarique Baarti, a Pakistani national causing havoc in our system. We have complained about him since 2022 and Home Affairs fired the people who cleaned the system off charges against him for murder and child kidnapping. We now learned that he has received a visa, under the name Patel. How are we protecting the criminals in SA? Is it  because they pay the government?,” remarks Bow.

PPF SA’s Chairperson, Cyril Madlala, says Put Patrollers First is ready to confront high-ranking officials, should their call  for immediate action against brutal crimes , amongst other things, be ignored.

“If they are not taking our crisis, we will decide as a collective to approach the seniors. That’s the only way,” protests Madlala.

He says the crimes occurring in South Africa are appalling, referencing the killing of five on-duty patrollers in Soshanguve over the weekend.

He lamented the murder of the 19-year-old teenager who was one of the Community Policing Forum (CPF), sayin he was robbed of a bright future.

He says they demand justice for the slain patrollers and that the Home Affair’s role in corruption, has a hand to play in the increased crime in the country.

The Department of Home Affairs Head Office in Pretoria has acknowledged the concerns of South Africans who are demanding stern action against officials who sell IDs to illegal migrants.

A senior official at the department, Simon Ratau, promised the protestors to inform the Minister about their demands.

“This has been received on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs. It will be escalated to the Minster of for action,” Ratau explained. Written by Odirile Rabolao