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Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has, today Thursday 10 December 2009 announced the suspension of a further 31 Home Affairs officials who are allegedly implicated in the fraudulent registration of births of foreign nationals mainly Pakistanis.

The 31 suspended officials, from KZN, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Limpopo, join a list of 28 other Home Affairs officials who were suspended in the last week of November. This brings to 59 the total number of Home Affairs officials suspended since November this year.

"In this regard, the Department of Home Affairs has launched a series of investigations into these fraudulent activities with a view to ensuring those implicated in such activities face the full might of the law" said Minister Dlamini Zuma

"The fraudulent registration of births of foreigners constitutes a serious threat to the national security of our country, undermines the stability of our democracy and cost the state millions of rand meant for reconstruction and development." said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

" These fraudulent registration of births of foreigners lead to the false registration of foreigners on the South African Population Register thus leading to the issuance of fraudulent ID's, duplication of existing ID's and fraudulent passports".

"In addition, the fraudulent ID's enable fraudsters to access social grants thus denying the needy and the poor of basic service and costing the state millions of rand. On the other hand, fraudulent ID's give access to fraudsters to apply for South African passports which are then used for nefarious activities abroad" continued Minister Dlamini Zuma

"Accordingly, we will not rest, but will use all the power at our disposal until we have removed this scourge from our department. In this regard, more suspensions are expected to be announced as investigations gather momentum. Disciplinary hearings are scheduled to take place with immediate effect for those currently suspended" concluded Minister Dlamini Zuma