Foreign Nationals Arrested in Johannesburg over ‘Arrangee’ Marriages

Posted by African Examiner News Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013

The African Examiner,

Three foreign nationals were on Tuesday arrested in Johannesburg for allegedly being implicated in marriages of convenience, a trend which is disturbingly on the increase in South Africa.

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa

The arrested persons which include, two Indian women and a Pakistani male, were apprehended during a raid conducted by Home Affairs Immigration Inspectorate in various houses in Johannesburg.

According to the Home Affairs Department, the first Indian woman is alleged to have registered herself as being married to a South African national, but was found to be residing with her real Indian husband in Johannesburg.

The South African national, who was alleged to have been married to the woman, according to the report, was unaware of the change in his status. The suspect was expected to appear in the Springs court on Wednesday.

Similarly, the second Indian woman is alleged to have fraudulently acquired two South African passports for her two children. “The two children were born in India but were fraudulently registered as being born in South Africa,” said department spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa.

Mamoepa also disclosed that the Indian woman has been scheduled to appear before the Benoni court on Wednesday while the Pakistani male, who was arrested for an alleged fraudulent marriage to a South African female, will appear before the Johannesburg court on the same day.

She therefore warned that the department will leave no stone unturned to ensure the scourge of marriages of convenience is dealt a massive and decisive blow. “Those implicated in such acts including their South African accomplices better be warned that they will indeed face the full might of the law”, the department spokesperson added.