Pretoria, South Africa – Home Affairs Minister Leon Scheiber has announced that his department will fully support an investigation by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) into allegations of a South African diplomat selling visas and passports to UAE citizens. The probe follows reports in the Sunday Times detailing several security breaches committed by Andrew Tsepo Lebona, South Africa’s consul-general in Dubai.
Minister Scheiber expressed deep concern over the allegations, stating that corruption within the Home Affairs Department poses a serious threat to national security. He emphasized the urgent need for digital transformation to prevent such incidents from happening again.
In a social media post, Scheiber confirmed that Home Affairs would be working closely with Dirco to cancel any visas issued unlawfully by Lebona. The Sunday Times reported that the diplomat had also used his position to secure a diplomatic passport for his adult son and facilitate business deals in the UAE.
Lebona, who was employed by Dirco but also represented Home Affairs in Dubai, has been recalled to South Africa to provide an explanation for his actions. This is not the first time a Home Affairs official has been implicated in the illegal sale of passports and other important documents.
The government insiders who conducted the investigation revealed that Lebona had arranged for his son to obtain a UAE diplomatic visa despite not meeting the necessary requirements.
