Zimbabwean Ex-NWDC CFO Kudakwashe Mpofu Jailed for Fraud After SIU Exposes Fake Documents Web
A Zimbabwean national who climbed to a top job in a South African government entity has been hit with jail time for fraud, thanks to a sharp probe by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). Kudakwashe Mpofu, once the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the North West Development Corporation (NWDC), got caught using a string of bogus immigration papers to live, work, and rake in big perks in the country. The Mmabatho Regional Court slapped him with sentences on two fraud counts after he pleaded guilty, marking a win for anti-corruption fighters. This case shines a light on how fake docs let foreigners slip through cracks, grabbing jobs and benefits meant for locals. As South Africa battles illegal immigration and graft, the SIU says this sends a loud warning: cheat the system, and face the full force of the law.
Mpofu’s downfall started with a tip-off and snowballed into a bigger look at dodgy visas and permits at the Department of Home Affairs. His story shows the risks of unchecked borders and the wins when agencies team up to nail crooks. For everyday folks, it raises questions about who gets key roles in public bodies and how to stop such scams from hurting the economy.
Tip-Off Sparks SIU Investigation into Fake Permits
It all kicked off in July 2023 when an anonymous tip landed at the Department of Home Affairs’ Counter Corruption Unit, flagging Mpofu’s shady papers. This fed into a wider SIU probe greenlit by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation No. 154 of 2024. The focus? Digging into serious slip-ups at Home Affairs, like the wrongful dishing out of visas, permits, and even citizenship.
Investigators zeroed in on illegal or dodgy issuance of permanent residence permits, corporate visas, business permits, critical skills visas, study visas, retired persons visas, and naturalisation citizenship. Mpofu, who first came to South Africa legally on a study visa in 2012, stuck around after it ran out in 2015. He forked out R3,000 for a fake Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) from a shady outfit called MRM Trading Enterprise and Investment.
But that was just the start. The SIU uncovered more phony docs in his stash: a critical/exceptional skills visa, a work permit, and an exemption certificate that supposedly got issued back in 1996—when Mpofu was just five years old. These fakes let him pose as a legit resident and snag all sorts of gains.
High-Paying Job and Luxury Perks Built on Lies
With his counterfeit papers in hand, Mpofu landed plum spots at the NWDC, a state-owned body meant to boost growth in the North West province. He kicked off as an assets manager from May 2021 to May 2023, pulling in R900,000 a year. Then, in June 2023, he stepped up to CFO, earning over R1.6 million annually—until the truth caught up.
The fake docs did not stop at work. They helped him get a traffic register number, snag a learner’s and driver’s licence, and even finance fancy wheels. Mpofu bought a Land Rover Sport, a BMW 3 Series, and a Ford Ranger, all on credit he never should have qualified for. These perks painted a picture of a guy living large off a web of lies, while real South Africans miss out on chances.
The SIU hammered home that this kind of fraud hurts everyone. “This conviction sends a strong message that the fraudulent acquisition of official documents, and the illicit benefits derived from them, will be met with the full might of the law,” the unit said in a statement.
Court Hands Down Sentences After Guilty Plea
Mpofu faced the music in the Mmabatho Regional Court, where he copped to two counts of fraud. On the first count, the magistrate gave him three years behind bars, but with a shot at correctional supervision if the Commissioner of Correctional Services or a parole board gives the nod. The second count? Another three years, but fully suspended for five years—as long as he stays clear of any more fraud or corruption tricks.
Advocate Nkhetheni Mudau, pushing for a tough sentence, called fraud a big problem that eats away at trust in government. Mpofu’s guilty plea might have softened the blow a bit, but the court made clear: no free pass for cheating the system.
This wrap-up came from tight teamwork between the SIU, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and Home Affairs. The SIU praised the collab as proof that state bodies can join forces to smash corruption and fraud rings.
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