KEY POINTS
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The Hawks raided the Pretoria High Court over allegations that a court employee was issuing fraudulent notices of motion to prevent deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.
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The operation specifically targeted one office and individual, with critical evidence seized for further investigation.
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Experts warn this incident could signal broader issues of corruption within the court system, prompting wider scrutiny of how legal processes are abused in South Africa.
On May 13, 2025, South Africa’s elite investigative unit, the Hawks, carried out a raid at the Pretoria High Court amid allegations that an employee had been issuing fraudulent notices of motion to undocumented foreign nationals in a bid to prevent their deportation.
The operation, which targeted a specific office and individual, has raised serious concerns about the abuse of the court system and the exploitation of legal processes to obstruct the country’s immigration enforcement efforts.
Gauteng Hawks spokesperson, Col Katlego Mogale, confirmed the operation, stating, “The operation relates to allegations of fraudulent notices of motion being unlawfully issued by an identified employee of that court. It is alleged that the said employee has been issuing fraudulent notices of motion to undocumented foreign nationals to prevent their deportation to their countries of origin.”
Sowetanlive reports that a notice of motion is a formal legal document used to inform the court and opposing parties of an intention to seek a particular order or relief.
In this case, the fraudulent motions were allegedly used to delay or block deportation proceedings for foreign nationals, raising concerns about the integrity of legal processes in South Africa’s courts.
Key developments and future investigations by The Hawks
The Hawks have not ruled out the possibility that other court staff could be involved in similar activities, prompting a broader investigation into the potential misuse of court processes across South Africa.
The authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to protect the integrity of the judiciary and uphold the rule of law.
With the raid and seizure of evidence marking a significant step forward in the investigation, the Hawks are under pressure to deliver results and prevent similar incidents from undermining the country’s legal framework.
The focus now turns to how this case will affect future immigration and legal processes, especially regarding how foreign nationals and their cases are handled in South African courts.
