South Africa: Home Affairs Warns Against Fraudsters

Source: SAnews.gov.za (Tshwane), 06/10/2016

Pretoria — The Department of Home Affairs has warned members of the
public not to fall for hoax email messages from fraudsters who claim
they work for the department.


"The department did not post any message on social media asking people
to contact the Director-General about pending applications for
permits, visas, or identity documents, for cash.


"We have an official website, www.dha.gov.za; 408 offices across the
country and have also extended our office footprint in South Africa's
four major banks - Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank, as well as
visa facilitation centres run by VFS Global.


"We also have a permitting section in the Immigration Services Branch.
It is through these channels that all clients are to reach us for
various public services, including applications for permits, visas and
IDs," the department said in a statement.


All permanent residence permit applications must be done online at
www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica.


"Once your application has been submitted online, you need to book for
an appointment at the nearest visa facilitation centre in which you
intend to live and work to submit supporting documents and have your
biometrics taken.


"Please visit the website above to locate the nearest visa
facilitation centre. Alternatively, if you are based overseas, you can
apply at your nearest South African embassy, mission or consulate in
the country in which you live.


"Do not allow whatever desperation you may be experiencing at any
given time to mislead you to seek legal documents through illegal
means, such as bribery, fraud and corruption. It is against the law.


Doing business with faceless, unauthorised impostors or
middlemen will leave you in tears, worse than you were before you
hastily responded to a fake offer for assistance," the department said.
The department welcomed the arrest of a suspect in Stanger,
KwaZulu-Natal, for impersonating the Minister on social media.


The Department of Home Affairs, like all government departments, talks
to the people and clients only through official channels, including
departmental media statements, public notices, and website postings
that are verifiable, and through the departments' offices.


The Minister, the DG or any other senior officials of the department
will not ask people to pay him/her directly for legally rendered
services.


For any uncertainty, members of the public are advised to visit Home
Affairs offices for help. They can also call the Home Affairs Contact
Centre - 0800 60 11 90.


Asylum seekers, paperless system
The department also condemn the actions of some asylum seekers, whose
damaged property at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Office.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba recently announced measures to
modernise the provision of services at the centre, including
introducing a paperless system as well as an appointment model for
purposes of crowd control and efficient service delivery to the
clients.


"These changes have been communicated adequately to both the clients
and representatives of the asylum seekers community. In this regard,
it is regrettable that some asylum seekers refuse to accept these
changes and resort to disruptive and criminal actions which seek to
destabilise progress made thus far."


The department said asylum seekers have a responsibility to abide by
the laws of the Republic. "Anyone found to be in contravention of
these laws will be dealt with accordingly by the law enforcement
agencies," the department warned.