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Dubai: South African consul-general recalled after alleged visa fraud, misconduct

The foreign ministry said it 'acted on information from whistleblowers'

Published: Thu 29 Aug 2024, 10:03 AM

Updated: Thu 29 Aug 2024, 9:48 PM

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The South African consul-general in Dubai, Andrew Lebona, has been recalled following allegations of security breaches and misconduct, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announced in a media briefing.

DIRCO, South Africa's foreign ministry, is responsible for managing the country’s diplomatic missions and international relations. The department said it "acted on information from whistleblowers about alleged security breaches and misconduct", leading to Lebona's recall "from Dubai to Pretoria to respond to the preliminary investigation findings".

The investigation, according to DIRCO, is ongoing.

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Lebona’s recall follows a report by the Sunday Times alleging a visa scam at the Dubai Embassy. The report claims that Lebona was involved in orchestrating break-ins at his offices as part of a scheme to sell visas for UAE citizens to enter South Africa. He is also accused of various misconduct, including allegedly arranging for his son to illegally obtain diplomatic travel authority.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has pledged his support for DIRCO's investigation. In a post on X, he stated that visas tied to the alleged fraud will be revoked: "Home Affairs will support the urgent investigation of this DIRCO employee to cancel the affected visas," Schreiber wrote.

He further emphasised the need for digital transformation to combat corruption: "As I warned in Parliament this week, corruption that threatens our national security will continue in the absence of wholesale digital transformation. Eliminating outrageous paper-based and handwritten processes is our apex priority, and I call on all sectors of society to support this vision to safeguard South Africa’s sovereignty."

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