The Bulawayo passport office has been described as a corruption hotspot with some of the staffers allegedly building imposing mansions in the city from the proceeds of graft.
Sources told Standard People that a lot was happening at
the city’s passport office where officers are allegedly going for broke to make
extra money by even changing the ages of some passport applicants so that they
qualify for United Kingdom visas.
The system is sophisticated and involves teams from birth
and identity (ID) registration offices who give that person a new birth
certificate with a new name and date of birth,” an insider said.
“The officers once facelifted an application and it only
came to light when the printing company discovered that the fingerprints were
identical to those of a previous applicant. They could therefore not print the
passport since they had printed another passport last year with the same
fingerprints.”
Sources said this has been on-going for a long time until
last week when the syndicate ran out of luck and processed an application for
the applicant who once applied for a passport using his original documents.
When the client failed to get a UK visa, he went to
Tredgold and was assisted to get a new birth certificate and lD. He was
referred to an officer at the passport office for passport application.
He was assisted and went through all the stages and applied
for a passport.
Another source alleged that some passport supervisors work
with a tout only identified as Ndlovu to hunt for clients desperate to have
their passport applications fast tracked.
A supervisor (name given) is alleged to be threatening
other officers with transfers to sub offices for raising eyebrows and
complaints over the corrupt activities. Another officer (name given) is said to
be serving only clients who would have paid her bribes.
The source said desperate clients were made to part with
hard earned cash at the passport office as they are harassed before being lured
to pay.
It is alleged that Bulawayo passport officers are building
mansions in low density suburbs despite the economic hardships and despite the
fact that they are only paid US$200 in salaries.
Investigations established that one of the bosses is
building a mansion in Emlangeni and other officers involved in the racket are
building in Mahatshula.
“So prevalent is the corruption that virtually everyone is
involved from the security guard, cleaners up to officers," said the
source.
“They take 200 people in the morning and chase everyone
else away. Out of desperation, applicants are forced to go to the runners where
they are made to pay bribes.
“They are referred back to the office and become the first
to be served.
“Touts charge US$60 dollars on top of the US$120 for the authorized passport fee.”Standard
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