Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri has publicly responded to an interim report released by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) that investigates alleged serious maladministration within the Department of Home Affairs.
The SIU report highlights recurring schemes involving document fraud, manipulation of visas and work permits, and facilitation networks that allowed unauthorised entry into South Africa. According to the SIU, officials tasked with safeguarding the integrity of Home Affairs allegedly turned their positions into profit-making schemes.
External actors, including Bushiri, Kudakwashe Mpofu, and Nigerian rapper 3GAR were reportedly implicated for exploiting influence, fabricating documentation, and manipulating systemic weaknesses to obtain fraudulent residence permits.
Bushiri took to social media to defend himself, describing the allegations as a “witch-hunt.”
“Let the irrational SIU of South Africa be reminded of this simple, undeniable truth: I did not apply for my immigration status in South Africa. I applied through the South African Embassy in Malawi. My documents were submitted in Malawi, long before we came to South Africa permanently, and not through any church member in South Africa,” he wrote.
He further explained that his applications were lawfully approved under South African law, which grants immigration status to individuals making substantial investments in the country.
“Our applications were lawfully approved under South African law, which grants immigration status to individuals who make a substantial investment in the country, over R10 million. By the time I applied, I had already invested more than R90 million in South Africa. This was not a favour. It was not an exception. It was the law. When the permits were approved, we were formally contacted by the South African Embassy in Malawi and instructed to come and collect them. We did not chase anyone. We did not solicit help. We followed the process exactly as prescribed.”
Bushiri also addressed the death of an immigration officer who had been arrested in connection with the case.
“Yet an innocent man was arrested, an immigration officer whose only ‘crime’ was that he was a member of our church. He was accused, without evidence, of issuing us permits simply because he knew us, even though our applications were lodged, assessed, and approved through official embassy channels long before we entered South Africa. That baseless suspicion cost him everything. He was brutally treated, dismissed from his job, and stripped of his dignity. And last week, he died.”
He criticised the timing of statements made by authorities regarding the officer.
“What is most painful, and unforgivable, is that before his body was even laid to rest, a statement was rushed out claiming that he had admitted to issuing us permits illegally. They spoke for him only once they were sure he could no longer speak for himself. They know the dead cannot defend the truth. To add insult to injury, we were already charged for these so-called immigration offences six years ago. So the question that burns is this: If this investigation is only emerging now, why were we arrested then? Do you arrest people in order to investigate, or do you investigate in order to arrest? What is happening here is not justice. It is not due process. It is a witch-hunt. And it has already claimed an innocent life.”
Following the report, Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs, announced a series of interventions aimed at rooting out corruption within the department.
“A total of 20 officials have already been dismissed since April last year,” Schreiber said.
“I have requested the Director-General to formally engage the Department of Public Service and Administration as well as the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to prevent dismissed officials from being re-employed elsewhere in the state while criminal proceedings are ongoing.”
Over the past two financial years, the department has finalised 75 disciplinary cases, resulting in 16 suspensions without pay and 22 written warnings, with several matters referred for criminal prosecution.
“Administrative processes are now underway to cancel these visas,” Schreiber said.
“We will also ringfence any subsequent visas obtained by the same individuals to ensure that all irregularly obtained documents are cancelled and that perpetrators are deported or prosecuted as required.”
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star