A Pietermaritzburg Home Affairs Department employee will appear in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court today on 33 counts of fraud, corruption, and contravening the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.

Malusi Mlondo (34) was arrested by the Hawks after an investigation found he was allegedly selling passports to foreign nationals using South African citizens’ ID numbers.

He was allegedly charging more than R3 000 for the passports.

Hawks provincial spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo says Mlondo made a brief court appearance on Friday and was remanded in custody, pending his next appearance today.

The accused allegedly committed the crimes at the Durban Home Affairs office. He was based in Pietermaritzburg, but the cases were registered at the Durban Police Station and the docket was handed over to the Hawks.

“The investigation was thorough and this led to the arrest of some of the foreign nationals [before they left] King Shaka International Airport.

“One of the foreigners was sentenced last Friday, while others have pending cases against them,” says Mhlongo.