By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The chief director for permitting at Home Affairs has been dismissed over the permanent residency permits issued to Shepherd Bushiri and his family.
The self-proclaimed prophet fled fraud charges in 2020 and is living in Malawi as a fugitive.
In a statement, the department said the Bushiri family were issued with permanent residence they did not deserve.
The Chief Director for Permitting, Ronney Marhule, was found guilty on two counts of misconduct relating to dishonesty and negligence at the conclusion of a lengthy disciplinary hearing which lasted for almost a year.
The department said that this comes after Marhule tried in vain to stop the disciplinary process on at least three occasions at the Labour Court and at the Labour Appeal Court.
Marhule was charged, on two counts, with gross dishonesty, gross negligence and non-compliance with the Immigration Act, Regulations and Standard Operating Procedures.
“The first count related to recommending the approval of the Permanent Residence Permit applications of Bushiri, his spouse and two children.
“The second count related to recommending the approval of the Permanent Residence Permit applications of Mr Mohamed Afzal Motiwala and Ms Fatima Ebrahim,” the department said.
The Chairperson of the Disciplinary Hearing found that Marhule showed no remorse and that the “relationship of trust between the employer and the employee has broken down and cannot be restored”.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the department is committed to ensuring clean governance.
“The outcome of this disciplinary hearing is taking us closer to ensuring that we bring to an end irregular practices and decisions by Home Affairs officials within the system. We are cracking down on all forms of irregularities wherever we find them at Home Affairs,” the Minister said.
Bushiri applied for permanent residency status on the basis of his net wealth and intention to invest at least R2.5-million in South Africa.
Bushiri and his family fled South Africa in November 2020 while he and his wife were out on R200,000 bail each after being charged in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court with fraud and money laundering.
They face an extradition application in Malawi, which was recently delayed because of a dispute over whether South African witnesses needed to testify in person or via video link.
Malawi High Court in February 2022 had ordered the magistrates’ court considering the extradition to continue with the case regardless of whether South Africans testified in court or virtually. The status of the case is currently unclear.