Africa-Press – South-Africa. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the Hawks are reluctant to release a report that details how self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri escaped from South Africa.
On Tuesday, Motsoaledi briefed Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee on the latest developments relating to Bushiri’s escape.
“For us in the home affairs department, we have tried. I have had meetings with the head of the Hawks (Godfrey Lebeya), trying my best to show him that I am under pressure from Parliament to disclose how Bushiri escaped. He is adamant that he will not be going to release that information to anybody, whether it is to Parliament,” he said.
The department’s Counter Corruption and Security Services Branch finalised the investigation on 29 December 2020.
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“A senior official of the department was charged with gross dishonesty, gross negligence, non-compliance with the Immigration Act, Regulations and Standard Operating Procedures.
“The disciplinary process has been finalised, in terms of which process the senior official was found guilty on two of the charges, and on 23 May 2022, a sanction of dismissal with immediate effect was imposed,” Motsoaledi said.
Motsoaledi added that the ex-employee appealed the sanction within the General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council and added that the matter was under arbitration.
While the disciplinary process for the senior manager was completed, Motsoaledi said internal disciplinary actions were being finalised against other officials who were involved in processing the Bushiri family’s permanent residence application.
“Four officials were placed on precautionary suspension on the 15 to 18 March 2022 for aiding and abetting in connection with this matter. The disciplinary inquiries in this matter are currently under way with the most recent sitting held on the 3 August 2022,” he said.
Bushiri and his wife are embroiled in an extradition case in a Malawian court.
The couple are wanted in South Africa for fraud and money laundering, allegedly to the tune of R102 million.
They fled the country to their homeland just a few days after the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court granted each of them bail of R200 000 under strict conditions.
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South Africa later sent a formal extradition request to Malawi, which was received by the Malawian government in December.
In 2016, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities undertook a study about the impact foreign-led churches have on South African citizens.
“Based on the findings of the commission, the department amended its legislation to provide for the issuance of visitors’ visas, instead of work visas, to foreign religious workers.”
“This change means that there is no avenue available for these religious workers to migrate to permanent residence status. In order to acquire relevant visas, foreign religious leaders must follow due process and meet requirements in terms of the Immigration Act, 2002,” he said.
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