Pretoria,– A Zimbabwean man has been arrested in South Africa for attempting to gain access to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration using the ID of a deceased person. The arrest occurred at the Union Buildings in Pretoria during the event.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) detained the man as he sought accreditation, falsely claiming to work for a service provider at the ceremony. The State Security Agency’s vetting process flagged the discrepancy, leading to his apprehension.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe provided details on the incident. “We immediately apprehended him, and he is in police custody. The charges he is facing are fraud and contravention of the Immigration Act,” Mathe said. The man confessed to purchasing the ID from a home affairs official and admitted to using it since 2000, according to SowetanLIVE.
Mathe emphasized the seriousness of the crime, noting that it could result in imprisonment or deportation. “We are working closely with the Department of Home Affairs to determine how he acquired the ID,” she stated.
The police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the original ID holder’s death. “We will probe the cause of death of the ID’s original owner to see if the person was murdered to facilitate the sale of the identity document,” Mathe added.
The case highlights ongoing issues with identity fraud and the illegal sale of identification documents in South Africa, prompting calls for stricter oversight and enhanced security measures within the Department of Home Affairs.
