Zimbabwean National Sentenced for Fraud After SIU Uncovers Illicit Document Scheme
A foreign national who ascended to a senior management role within a North West government entity has been convicted and sentenced for fraud, following an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) that exposed a network of illegally obtained documents. These documents had enabled him to live, work, and prosper in South Africa unlawfully.
Kudakwashe Mpofu, the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the North West Development Corporation (NWDC), was sentenced by the Mmabatho Regional Court on two counts of fraud. Mpofu, a Zimbabwean national, had secured high-level employment and other benefits using a series of fake immigration documents.
The SIU investigation was initiated through Proclamation No. 154 of 2024, authorising a probe into serious maladministration within the Department of Home Affairs. This included the unlawful issuance of visas, permits, and citizenship documents. The investigation focused on the illegal or improper issuance of various visas and permits, including permanent residence, corporate, business, critical skills, study, and retired persons visas, as well as citizenship by naturalisation.
The SIU's investigation began after an anonymous tip-off to the Department of Home Affairs’ Counter Corruption Unit in July 2023.
Investigators discovered that Mpofu, who initially entered South Africa legally on a study visa, remained in the country after its expiration. He later acquired a fraudulent Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) for R3,000 from an entity named MRM Trading Enterprise and Investment.
Further investigation revealed that Mpofu possessed additional fraudulent immigration documents, including a Critical/Exceptional Skills Visa, a Work Permit, and an Exemption Certificate. These documents were allegedly issued in 1996, when he was only five years old.
Using these counterfeit documents, Mpofu secured lucrative employment at the NWDC. He served as an assets manager from May 2021 to May 2023, earning an annual salary of R900,000. Subsequently, he became CFO in June 2023, with a salary exceeding R1.6-million per year.
The fraudulent documents also enabled him to obtain a traffic register number, allowing him to secure a learner’s and driver’s licence, as well as vehicle finance. This finance was used to purchase several high-end cars, including a Land Rover Sport, a BMW 3 Series, and a Ford Ranger.
Regarding the sentencing, for the first count of fraud, Mpofu received a three-year prison sentence. The sentence includes the possibility of correctional supervision, at the discretion of the Commissioner of Correctional Services or a parole board. On the second count, he was handed another three-year sentence, wholly suspended for five years, on condition he avoids any further fraud- or corruption-related offences.
The SIU hailed the outcome as a testament to effective collaboration between state institutions committed to combating fraud and corruption.
“This conviction sends a strong message that the fraudulent acquisition of official documents, and the illicit benefits derived from them, will be met with the full might of the law,” the SIU said. c
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