19 Aug 2026

The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs has intensified efforts to combat document fraud, including the forgery of identity cards, business permits, passports, work and residence permits and marriage certificates, which pose serious economic, security and institutional threats.

Addressing the media at the ministry headquarters, the Minister Major General Pius Mokgware said document fraud undermined public revenue, facilitated organised crime and compromised the integrity of national institutions.

He said the prevalence of fraudulent documents could also damage Botswana’s international reputation and expose the country to increased international scrutiny, financial restrictions and economic isolation, citing the 2018 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey-listing as a tangible consequence of weaknesses in financial and institutional controls.

The minister said document falsification in Botswana was primarily driven by economic desperation, demand for legal status or employment, and administrative vulnerabilities.

“Immigration and employment pressures caused by strict work permit quotas and long processing delays push desperate foreign nationals to acquire forged permits, passports or national IDs to secure employment or residency. Furthermore, economic hardship increases fraudulent loan applications, where individuals and syndicates forge bank statements, payslips and employment letters to qualify for credit,” he said.

Maj. Gen Mokgware also revealed that the ministry had recently uncovered a cartel involving more than 13 officials, including senior officials, who were currently on suspension for allegedly working with external syndicates to process fraudulent work permits, visas and Omang identity cards for foreign nationals.

“We are also investigating an identified man, whose case is before the courts, after he was found in possession of ministry forms and official stamps which he used to produce fake Land Board certificates, employment confirmation letters, work and residence permits as well as marriage certificates,” he said.

The ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr Jimmy Opelo, said Botswana remained committed to maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to document falsification, forgery, immigration and administrative fraud.

“The government treats these breaches as serious criminal offences under national law, actively prosecuting offenders and cracking down on fraudulent permits, identity theft and institutional corruption,” he said.

Mr Opelo also stressed the importance of addressing statelessness, saying it deprived people of basic human rights and limited their access to essential services such as education and healthcare, while increasing their vulnerability to poverty and exploitation.

He said the ministry was proactively addressing statelessness through legislative reviews, universal birth registration and international partnerships, noting that such measures helped stabilise communities and restore human dignity.

“The ministry is reviewing the Citizenship Act and National Registration Act to resolve gaps that cause statelessness or difficulties in acquiring identity documents such as Omang, targeting especially communities in the national border periphery,” he said.

Mr Opelo said providing identity documentation and clear pathways to citizenship helped prevent marginalisation, exploitation and unlawful detention, while providing legal protection and enabling Botswana to fulfil its international commitments.

He said document fraud was no longer merely an administrative challenge, but a direct threat to Botswana’s sovereignty, economic wellbeing and institutional integrity.

He added that strengthening institutional accountability and enforcement was essential to restoring investor confidence and protecting the country’s economic future from the damaging effects of document fraud. ENDS