# Two former Home Affairs officials have been arrested for allegedly selling South African passports to foreign nationals for up to 100-thousand-rand each. The arrests follow a joint Hawks and Counter Corruption Unit investigation into a syndicate uncovered in 2022. The officials allegedly exploited a “photo swapping” loophole in South Africa, using citizens’ identity details with foreign nationals’ photographs. Department spokesperson Carli van Wyk says the case was a “powerful example” of why Home Affairs is pursuing an extensive digital transformation programme.
Ex-Home Affairs officials arrested in R100-thousand passport scam