South African authorities have intensified efforts to clamp down on corruption within the country’s immigration system, with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) warning that some officials have effectively turned the country’s borders into a “marketplace” where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder. Speaking during an anti-corruption campaign at the Maseru Bridge Border Post on Tuesday, acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said corruption within the border and immigration sector has become a serious threat to national security, economic…

South Africa’s immigration system was turned into a “marketplace” where visas and permits were effectively sold, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed on Monday in its interim report into corruption at the Department of Home Affairs. The report, presented by acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho, paints a damning picture of a coordinated internal corruption network involving Home Affairs officials, intermediaries and foreign nationals. According to the SIU, adjudicators and facilitators within the department allegedly worked together to bypass official procedures,…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has confirmed that it has not forfeited the value of several luxury vehicles linked to an alleged procurement syndicate under investigation, stressing that a preservation order remains firmly in place while the main forfeiture proceedings are still to come. This follows a recent ruling by the Special Tribunal, which declined to grant a final forfeiture order at this stage. The decision means the vehicles are not transferred to the state yet, but crucially, they are…

The National Lotteries Commission has welcomed the expansion of the Special Investigating Unit investigation into its affairs, saying it will allow law enforcement agencies the space and time to complete their work without interference. In a statement issued on 5 February 2026, the NLC noted Proclamation R293 of 2025, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which amends Proclamation R32 and broadens the scope and timeframe of the SIU’s investigation into the commission. The amended proclamation empowers the SIU to investigate additional…

The appointment of Advocate Andy Mothibi as the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) has drawn strong and divergent reactions from political parties, with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) both raising serious concerns about the process and expectations surrounding his tenure. Advocate Mothibi, who currently heads the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), is set to assume office on 1 February following his appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He will replace outgoing NDPP Advocate Shamila…

The Special Investigating Unit has secured a court order to recover profits from a R4.7 million personal protective equipment contract that was unlawfully awarded by the Mpumalanga Department of Health to Tepa Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd. The Special Tribunal delivered its judgment on 30 October 2025, setting aside the department’s April 2020 decision to appoint Tepa Trading. The Tribunal declared the contract unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid. The contract involved the supply of 220,000 three ply surgical masks during the…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe allegations of maladministration and irregular procurement at the Siyathemba Local Municipality in the Northern Cape. The investigation focuses on the purchase of printers, photocopy machines, and related equipment, amid claims of financial misconduct and poor governance. The authorisation, issued under Proclamation 295 of 2025, empowers the SIU to investigate serious maladministration and possible corruption linked to the procurement process. The unit will also attempt to recover any financial…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has obtained an interim preservation order to freeze assets worth about R900 million linked to one of the alleged syndicates that benefited from irregular contracts at Tembisa Hospital. On Thursday, 9 October 2025, the SIU and a Curator appointed by the Special Tribunal, supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Johannesburg Metro Police, launched the first phase of the operation to secure assets connected to the hospital scandal. The coordinated operation took place…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) today conducted a high-profile raid on a luxury property linked to businessman Hangwani Morgan Maumela, the alleged kingpin behind the multibillion-rand corruption scandal at Tembisa Hospital. The swoop, which took place in Sandton, marks one of the most significant moves yet in the ongoing investigation into the hospital tender syndicate that has rocked South Africa’s public health sector. SIU investigators, supported by members of the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), seized luxury cars, art pieces, furniture,…

Unions organising in the private security sector have warned they will petition President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into provincial departments awarding contracts to non-compliant companies. In the latest round of protests against rogue companies that deduct millions from workers but fail to pay their health and other benefits, trade unions representing thousands of security officers have accused the Limpopo provincial government of enabling large-scale exploitation in the private security industry. Members of the Democratic…