The SIU recently revealed that South Africa’s immigration system had effectively been turned into a marketplace, where visas and permits were allegedly sold to the highest bidder. The findings have sparked renewed public interest in high profile immigration fraud cases, including that of Chabalala.

The Rise and Sudden Fall of “Mshengu”

Chabalala, once known for his flamboyant lifestyle and his Sam Holdings Group empire, drew national attention in 2019 when he arrived at the Durban July with a convoy of luxury vehicles reportedly stretching into the dozens. The spectacle reportedly triggered scrutiny from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks.

On 6 September 2019, Chabalala was arrested on charges including corruption, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, illegal entry into South Africa, and providing false information to authorities.

During his arrest, he claimed to have been born in Limpopo. Investigators later alleged he was in fact a Zimbabwean national.

The Affidavit and the Killing

Shortly after Chabalala’s arrest, his close associate and manager, Nkosinathi Ngcongo, provided a sworn affidavit to investigators. Days later, Ngcongo was shot and killed.

Court proceedings later resulted in a 15 year prison sentence for a bodyguard linked to the murder plot. However, allegations have persisted that a suspected gunman known as Khumalo has not been arrested.

Bail, Bribery Allegations and Disappearance

Chabalala was granted R200,000 bail at the Witbank Magistrate’s Court. Less than six months later, he was arrested again, this time accused of attempting to bribe a senior police officer to make his case docket disappear and return his seized vehicle.

He was granted R500,000 bail despite opposition from the State.

In March 2020, after being released on bail for the second time, Chabalala vanished.

Before disappearing, he allegedly left a note suggesting he intended to end his life near the Crocodile River or a game reserve along the N2 towards Hluhluwe. No remains were publicly confirmed, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Authorities had reportedly secured two warrants for his arrest after he failed to appear in court.

SIU Findings on Immigration Corruption

The renewed attention comes after the SIU presented interim findings into corruption within the Department of Home Affairs.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that the probe, authorised by Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024, examined visa processes between October 2004 and February 2024.

Among the findings

More than 2,000 study visas were allegedly fraudulently issued

Financial benefits exceeding R181 million were traced to beneficiaries

Four officials earning under R25,000 per month reportedly received R16.3 million in unexplained deposits

Seventy five disciplinary cases were finalised over two financial years

Twenty officials were dismissed since April last year

High profile cases, including those involving Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso, were also flagged during the investigation.

The Unanswered Question

Five years later, the mystery remains.

Is Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala dead. Did he flee the country. Or could new investigations into immigration corruption eventually reveal what really happened.

For now, the businessman who once dominated headlines has vanished, leaving behind unanswered questions, unfinished court cases, and a legal system still grappling with the full extent of alleged immigration corruption.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content

The post Five Years Later Where Is Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala appeared first on MDNtv.

The SIU uncovered about R16.3 million in bribes paid to four corrupt Home Affairs officials, who allegedly issued visas and permanent residence permits unlawfully.

Payments were reportedly routed through e‑wallets and officials’ spouses’ accounts.

High-profile foreign nationals implicated include prophet Shepherd Bushiri and televangelist Timothy Omotoso.

Bushiri is alleged to have used church networks and cash donations to secure permanent residence illegally, while Omotoso reportedly benefited from permits obtained outside normal procedures.

Responding to the allegations, Bushiri responded via his social media account addressing the SIU on their claims.

“Let the irrational SIU of South Africa be reminded of this simple, undeniable truth. I did not apply for my immigration status in South Africa. I applied through the South African Embassy in Malawi. My documents were submitted in Malawi, long before we came to South Africa permanently, and not through any church member in South Africa.

“Our applications were lawfully approved under South African law, which grants immigration status to individuals who make a substantial investment in the country—over R10 million. By the time I applied, I had already invested more than R90 million in South Africa. This was not a favour. It was not an exception. It was the law,” he said.

Bushiri said when the permits were approved, we were formally contacted by the South African Embassy in Malawi and instructed to come and collect them.

“We did not chase anyone. We did not solicit help. We followed the process exactly as prescribed. Yet an innocent man was arrested an immigration officer whose only “crime” was that he was a member of our church. He was accused, without evidence, of issuing us permits simply because he knew us, even though our applications were lodged, assessed, and approved through official embassy channels long before we entered South Africa. That baseless suspicion cost him everything,” he said.

Bushiri said he was brutally treated, dismissed from his job, and stripped of his dignity and last week, he passed away.

“What is most painful and unforgivable is that before his body was even laid to rest, a statement was rushed out claiming that he had admitted to issuing us permits illegally. They spoke for him only once they were sure he could no longer speak for himself. They know the dead cannot defend the truth.

“To add insult to injury, we were already charged for these so-called immigration offenses six years ago. So the question that burns is this. If this investigation is only emerging now, why were we arrested then?

Do you arrest people in order to investigate,

or do you investigate in order to arrest?

What is happening here is not justice.

It is not due process. It is a witch-hunt. And it has already claimed an innocent life,” he wrote.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content

The post Well Known Man Of God Prophet Shepard Bushiri Has Finally Responded To The Fraud And Corruption Allegations Made By The SIU appeared first on MDNtv.

Omotoso’s journey, as detailed in the SIU’s timelines, began as far back as May 2000 when he arrived in South Africa on a visitor’s visa from Nigeria. What followed was a series of maneuvers that allegedly exploited the system: from destroyed educational certificates in London to repeated work permit applications laced with irregularities. By 2002, his bid for permanent residence was refused due to lack of proof, yet he persisted, lodging appeals and even facing contradictions in claims about residing in the UK. Fast-forward to 2011, and Omotoso secured a general work permit despite prior rejections, setting the stage for more controversy. The SIU highlights a pivotal moment in 2015 when Omotoso requested a waiver for his permit nearing expiry, only for his appeal to be rejected in May 2016. Shockingly, an unlawful waiver was granted shortly after by the acting chief director, rendering the approval invalid.

This led to a rejection notification, but Omotoso allegedly continued operating, with post-waiver findings in 2024 declaring him a prohibited person and recommending his deportation back to Nigeria.

The investigation paints Omotoso as a master of persistence, allegedly using church recommendations and appeals to navigate Home Affairs’ bureaucracy. A key finding underscores how his initial residence was facilitated by a contravened section of the Immigration Act, allowing him to embed himself in South Africa while building his ministry. Even after rejections, he appealed from abroad, and by 2016-2017, authorities noted his undesirable status, urging action against his unlawful stay.

Meanwhile, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s modus operandi, as uncovered by the SIU, weaves a narrative of rapid ascent fueled by questionable visas and financial wizardry. Starting in 2015, Bushiri entered South Africa on a visitor’s visa with a history of prior visa irregularities. By 2016, he applied for a permanent residence permit under Section 27(c) of the Immigration Act, submitting fraudulent financials signed by a chartered accountant from Nigeria—who later denied involvement, claiming his signature was forged. Despite red flags, the permit was approved by a Home Affairs adjudicator linked to Bushiri’s church. This green light opened doors to acquiring four properties in South Africa between 2016 and 2018, totaling over R10.3 million, alongside supporting bank statements from NPC (non-profit company) accounts that the SIU deems a direct misrepresentation.

The plot thickened in 2021 when the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) flagged suspicious banking activities, including over R1 million in hurried cash deposits into two accounts, amounting to R27 million. These funds, allegedly from church donations, flowed through schemes misrepresented in the PRP application. Adding to the drama, between 2019 and 2020, Bushiri purchased an aircraft for USD 1.2 million (R30 million), funded by what the SIU describes as laundered money from his NPC, raising alarms about money laundering and misuse of church donations.

The SIU’s findings, part of a broader anti-fraud push in the public sector, emphasize systemic vulnerabilities in Home Affairs that allowed these leaders to allegedly game the system. For ordinary South Africans and immigrants alike, this saga raises tough questions about oversight, faith, and fairness. While Omotoso faces deportation recommendations and Bushiri’s empire crumbles under scrutiny, the investigation serves as a reminder that even spiritual shepherds can stray into shadowy territories. As the SIU continues its work, calls for tighter regulations echo, ensuring that South Africa’s borders protect rather than enable exploitation.

Visit MDNtv YouTube Channel for our video content

The post SIU Exposes Decades of Immigration Schemes by High-Profile Pastors in South Africa appeared first on MDNtv.

Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, has defiantly refused to apologize for attending an Easter service at Shepherd Bushiri’s church in Malawi in April.

The visit, which drew sharp criticism due to Bushiri’s status as a fugitive wanted in South Africa for fraud and rape charges, sparked a firestorm of controversy.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi condemned Shivambu’s association with the self-proclaimed prophet, calling it a disrespect to South Africa’s legal system.

The MK Party quickly distanced itself, labeling the visit a personal endeavor not endorsed by the party.

Despite the backlash, Shivambu, in a May 30 interview with Newzroom Afrika, dismissed calls for an apology and rejected rumors of internal MK party strife.

“I have no reason to apologize,” Shivambu stated, doubling down on his stance.

The incident has fueled debates about political accountability and the optics of aligning with controversial figures, leaving questions about its impact on the MK Party’s image as South Africa’s political landscape continues to evolve.

The post Mk party faces backlash over Bushiri church attendance appeared first on MDNtv.