SIU says Bushiri, Omotoso obtained permits through fraud and corruption

By Thapelo Molefe

Controversial religious leaders Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Pastor Timothy Omotoso obtained their South African residence permits illegally through fraudulent documentation and corrupt officials, the Special Investigating Unit said on Monday.

Acting SIU Head Leonard Lekgetho told the media that South Africa’s immigration system had been transformed into a “marketplace where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder” during a briefing on the unit’s interim report into its investigations into the Department of Home Affairs.

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“The investigation reveals that the country’s borders were not protected by law but auctioned off through corruption. South Africa was being sold one permit at a time,” Lekgetho said.

The investigation, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024, found that Malawian Bushiri’s permanent residence permit was approved by a Home Affairs