South Africa News

Brides-for-cash suspects arrested in South Africa

Three people who are accused of making fake marriage documents to help foreign nationals become South African citizens have been arrested, police say.

When officers raided a building in Durban on Monday they seized application forms, copies of IDs and other evidence – which they said one of the suspects was caught trying to destroy.

Police believe many of the IDs were stolen from local women without their knowledge, then used to create fraudulent marriage certificates and visas for foreigners.

“When they come, they come as a married man to a South African woman. When they are here, they will divorce that woman,” regional police spokesman Col Robert Netshiunda told news site News24.

“By that time, they got citizenship, so they brought more people.

“That’s the scam they were [allegedly] running.”

It is not clear how many people were involved in the alleged scheme or which countries the alleged payees came from.

Police say they are analysing computers and hard drives from the scene for more evidence.

The alleged office is housed in an unassuming building on a suburban road.

It was operating as a “clandestine home affairs office”, Col Robert Netshiunda told national broadcaster SABC.

“They were facilitating marriages, visas and other services that Home Affairs would provide to South Africans.”

The sophisticated operation may have involved an insider at the government department for Home Affairs, according to police, who say they have identified but not arrested a potential suspect.

South Africa boasts the continent’s biggest economy, attracting jobseekers and migrants from the wider region, as well as smaller numbers from Europe and Asia.

In recent years there have been anti-immigration protests and waves of violence targeted at immigrants.

It became a campaign issue for May’s general election, and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) that is now part of South Africa’s coalition government was among political groups accused of stoking xenophobia.

 

Source: bbc.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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