Two Home Affairs officials busted for alleged bribery

Two Home Affairs immigration officials were arrested for allegedly demanding a R40 000 bribe to renew the permits of three undocumented people in the Maluti area, the Hawks said on Wednesday. 

Spokesperson Captain Anelisa Ngcakani said they were arrested on Monday in Maluti, Eastern Cape, during a sting operation in which R15 000 of the alleged bribe was recovered. 

Sigqibo Ngcuzana, 41, and Andiswa Ndlathu, 38, appeared in the Maluti Magistrate's Court on Tuesday following their arrest by the Hawks' serious corruption crime investigative unit on charges of corruption. 

A third person suspected of being the middleman, a 35-year-old, was also arrested and was due in court on Wednesday, but the outcome of his appearance is unknown. 

Another R15 000 was recovered during that arrest. 

These allegedly corrupt activities come after an operation by the police and immigration officials that was conducted earlier in August in the Maluti area, where a large number of undocumented people were arrested for allegedly being in the country illegally. 

Ngcuzana and Ndlathu will remain in custody until August 20 for a formal bail application.