Churches exploiting systems to grant foreign pastors permanent residence in SA - SIU

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said the religious fraternity is increasingly exploiting loopholes in the permanent residence system to gain entry into South Africa for foreign pastors and prophets.

Its most recent probe into corruption at Home Affairs has confirmed that Malawian fugitive prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso, who was let off the hook on human-trafficking charges in 2025, illegally gained access to South Africa.

Acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said churches are helping to falsify documents and even lying about money to support pastors’ applications for residency.

The SIU said Bushiri lied about his financial status to obtain a permanent residence permit.

A Chartered Accountant (CA) signed off on his financial documents for a mere R500.

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Lekgetho said it’s been confirmed that Bushiri’s permanent residence permit was approved by a Home Affairs official who was also a member of his church.

“Associates drafted and submitted documentation, while donations were rerouted into personal accounts under the guise of tithes or seed transactions.”

Meanwhile, Omotoso’s fraud dates back to 2000 when the South African High Commission in London first issued him with a work permit.

The SIU said Omotoso’s more than 25-year stay in South Africa was facilitated by a series of fraudulent documents and misrepresentations.

“As his status was repeatedly questioned, his method involved exploiting administrative and procedural vulnerability within the Department of Home Affairs.”

He was deported in 2025 after being acquitted in a protracted criminal trial during which he was imprisoned.