South Africa: Home Affairs uncovers widespread irregularities in foreign national vehicle permits
via The Citizen2 min read
The Department of Home Affairs has revealed significant irregularities in Traffic Register Numbers TRNs issued to foreign nationals for vehicle documentation. TRNs are provided to foreign nationals and entities without South African ID numbers to register vehicles, apply for driving licenses, and conduct transactions on the eNatis System. An investigation was launched after 973 TRNs were issued from a small Northern Cape office in four months in 2019, a town with only 12,000 residents, compared to 130 from the province's largest office. Home Affairs found foreign nationals applied for TRNs in the Northern Cape and then duplicates in Cape Town within an hour, often using the same address. Forensic investigator Maria Mnisi noted that eNatis could capture applications without ID information and lacked mechanisms to verify submitted documents. Cross-referencing over a million TRNs issued between January 2000 and July 2023 against Home Affairs' systems showed that only 2.7% matched the National Immigration Identification System, and 747,350 were unmatched against the Visa Adjudications System. Of the 29,653 TRN recipients with files on the NIIS, only 1,677 were legal, with the rest providing false information. TRN holders allegedly used fraudulently obtained TRNs to acquire luxury vehicles, including 40 "elite supercars" and 327 Porsches, even after visa application rejections. Gauteng saw 244 Porsches, six Bentleys, four Lamborghinis, five Ferraris, and a McLaren purchased with T
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Must ReadThe uMkhonto weSizwe Party MKP announced its intention to prioritize quality over cadre deployment when selecting mayoral candidates for the upcoming local government elections. Sibonelo Nomvalo, the party's secretary-general, stated that quality must supersede cadre deployment to avoid compromising service delivery, a pitfall he attributed to the ANC. Nomvalo emphasized that mayoral candidates must possess the ability to understand council reports, particularly those related to city budgets, highlighting the importance of experience, knowledge, and skills. He added that the party aims to deploy individuals who can effectively address the needs of the populace at the local government level. Regarding potential alliances, Nomvalo indicated that the MK Party would ideally collaborate with progressive, leftist parties following the elections. He also addressed and denied claims of factional battles within the party, despite recent suspensions of leaders, including the party's Chief Whip in parliament, Nthabiseng Mabatho Mokoena-Zondi, and previously the party's spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela. Nomvalo asserted that enforcing discipline is crucial for the organization's principles and to prevent anarchy.
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