HOME Affairs has announced that the chief director who recommended that Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his family be issued with permanent residence permits has been dismissed with immediate effect.
Home Affairs spokesman Siya Qoza said Ronney Marhule, the chief director for permitting, was found guilty on two counts of misconduct at the conclusion of a lengthy disciplinary hearing that lasted almost a year.
Qoza said this was after Marhule tried in vain to stop the disciplinary process on at least three occasions.
“Marhule was charged with gross dishonesty and negligence and non-compliance with the Immigration Act, regulations and standard operating procedures,” said Qoza.
He said the first count related to the recommendation of the approval of 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 for Mohamed Afzal Motiwala and Fatima Ebrahim.
Qoza said: “The chairperson of the disciplinary hearing found Marhule showed no remorse and that the relationship of trust between the employer and employee had broken down and could not be restored.”
However, Cope spokesman Dennis Bloem said the official must be criminally charged as the dismissal was not enough.
“When Bushiri escaped from the country, we said we suspect it is an inside job and an indication of how deep and serious corruption is in Home Affairs.
“It is now clear that he bought his way out of the country. We don’t doubt that money was involved in this transaction of Bushiri’s fraudulent permanent residence approval. We must not take this matter lightly,” he said Bloem.
Home Affairs MinisterAaron Motsoaledi said the outcome of the disciplinary hearing brought them closer to ensuring they end irregular practices and decisions by Home Affairs officials. “We are cracking down on all forms of irregularities wherever we find them at Home Affairs. The department is committed to ensuring clean governance,” he said.