South Africa: Bushiri Rejects SIU Claims on R90m Investment for SA Residence Permit

Shepherd Bushiri, the Malawi-born preacher, has firmly denied allegations surrounding his South African permanent residence permit. He asserts that he invested more than R90 million in the country prior to approval, countering the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) findings of irregularities.

SIU Alleges Church Conflict

The SIU’s probe under Proclamation 154 of 2024 revealed that Bushiri’s permit was approved by a Home Affairs adjudicator affiliated with his Enlightened Christian Gathering church, posing a clear conflict of interest. Investigators flagged issues like questionable financial declarations and systemic flaws in the immigration process.

This case highlights deeper problems, including fraudulent documents and cash-for-permits schemes involving Home Affairs officials. Bushiri’s defense underscores ongoing tensions between his claims of legitimate economic contribution and official scrutiny.

Questions over timing of arrests

Bushiri also questioned the timeline of the case, noting that immigration-related charges against him date back several years.

“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.”

The SIU has previously maintained that its findings form part of an ongoing investigation into alleged maladministration and corruption within the Department of Home Affairs.