Team to halt Home Affairs rot

The Department of Home Affairs has gone into damage control mode following a report that listed its Marabastad office as its most corrupt.

In response to the damning finding, in which Durban was found to be the least corrupt, at 3%, the department has set up Operation Bvisa Masina - Vendan for "throw out the rot" - to restore order throughout Home Affairs branches.

A response team comprising officials from Home Affairs, the State Security Agency, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and S A Revenue Service has been set up

More than half of people interviewed at the Marabastad refugee reception centre said they had experienced corruption while standing in queues, and 30% reported they were denied entry to the office when they did not pay bribes.

But Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said the report "singled out" Marabastad and that the research methodology used to compile it had "weaknesses".

The researchers should not have relied only on people standing outside the offices, but should have also gone inside to conduct their research, he said.

Gigaba did, however, admit that the report's findings could not be dismissed: "We can't ignore any voices that seek to amplify the challenges we are faced with."