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In a dramatic move that has rocked the legal community, the Hawks — South Africa’s elite Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation — raided the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday morning amid an expanding probe into fraudulent court documents allegedly used to aid undocumented foreign nationals.
The operation, led by the Serious Corruption Investigation unit, focused on suspicions that a court official had been illegally issuing fake Notices of Motion, which are normally used to initiate legal proceedings. These counterfeit documents were reportedly being exploited to delay or obstruct deportations, raising serious concerns about corruption and abuse of the judicial system.
According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, the raid followed intelligence reports flagging irregularities within the court’s administrative processes.
“The Directorate is investigating serious allegations of corruption related to the issuance of fraudulent court documents,” said Mogale. “Our team executed a search and seizure operation to gather evidence. No arrests have been made at this stage, but the investigation is ongoing.”
The probe marks the latest in a string of efforts to root out corruption within state institutions, especially as public trust in immigration enforcement and the legal process remains under pressure.
Legal experts have warned that the alleged scheme — if confirmed — could point to a larger network of systemic abuse, potentially involving external agents and immigration officials.
Authorities have not ruled out further operations or arrests as digital and physical evidence recovered during the raid is processed.
