South Africans have been warned against entering into marriages of convenience with foreigners to help them gain citizenship.
There’s been a rise in instances of South African women complaining about none payment after marrying foreigners to help them qualify for citizenship.
The deputy minister of home affairs Njabulo Nzuza briefed the media alongside other ANC National Executive Committee members who are part of the NEC’s peace and stability committee and emphasised the illegality of what has come to be known as “marriages of convenience” which he said was essentially fraudulent activity.
“People must know that marriage of convenience, marriage without romance with a stranger is tantamount to fraud and if caught people can be arrested,” said Nzuza.
The NEC sub-committee which includes police minister Senzo Mchunu and is chaired by his deputy Pholly Boshielo said it instructed by the ANC to attend to crime including illegal immigration.
The interventions in the criminal justice sector are part of efforts by the ANC to reconnect with voters following a dismal performance in the recent general elections which saw the party drop to below 50 percent forcing it into a coalition government which includes the likes of Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front + which has attracted criticism from across society including alliance partners Cosatu and SACP.
Nzuza said the home affairs department is committed to ridding itself of fraudsters citing the recent sentencing of an official, Judith Zuma who was arrested and convicted of fraudulently issuing citizenship to illegal immigrants.
Nzuza said the bogus marriages involving foreigners were disadvantaging genuine couples who want to marry but are subjected to delaying scrutiny when one partner is an immigrant.
“The marriage of convenience actually disadvantages legitimate couples who want to marry because we have to ask them questions, send officials to go and verify if a relationship indeed exists which can be frustrating I guess its so even if you are doing it fraudulently,” said Nzuza.