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to desperate Zimbabweans seeking to regularise their stay in that country.
SA authorities have reportedly opened investigations into the alleged scam involving the executive led by Mr Kwanele Moyo.
The entire provincial executive was reportedly detained at a police station on Saturday afternoon.
Allegations are that the MDC-T executive opened offices opposite the Home Affairs office along Harrison Street in Johannesburg and another one at Management House in Braamfontein, ostensibly to assist Zimbabwean seeking to regularise their stay in that country.
According to reports from South Africa, the party’s provincial organising secretary, Mr Samuel Mavhunga, ran the office.
The provincial organising committee allegedly instructed party supporters to apply for work permits through the MDC-T offices.
Mr Mavhunga is said to be a member of the stakeholders forum that was working with Home Affairs to assist Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
Complainants who spoke to The Herald over the phone yesterday said this was a cheap scam by the provincial executive to gain trust, while allegedly lining their pockets.
“The leadership tried raise money for the party by selling fake work permits to stranded and desperate Zimbabweans who are struggling to formalise their stay in Johannesburg,” a victim said.
Officials from the Home Affairs office in Harrison Street confirmed receiving the reports. But the Home Affairs ministry’s spokesperson, Mr Ronnie Mamoepa, expressed ignorance over the matter.
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MDC-T national organising secretary, Mr Nelson Chamisa, said his party had not received any formal complaint from South Africa.
“Our office is not in receipt of such a complaint and we await formal communication from the relevant authorities,” he said.
He also dismissed reports of infighting in the MDC-T’s South African branches.
“Our structures are firing across both the country and the world as a whole,” said Mr Chamisa.
Mr Mavhunga dismissed the allegations as rumours coming from disgruntled former provincial executive members.
“Those are political statements coming from our detractors,” he said.
“That is coming from members of the previous executive who wanted to continue enjoying the benefits of being in power.
“There are people who are trying to sow seeds of disunity among members.
“We have heard the stories, but like all Zimbabweans staying here, we attend stakeholders’ forums to discuss such issues.”
Mr Mavhunga said some disgruntled members of the previous executive had threatened to fight the incumbent after elections held four months ago.
Reports from Johannesburg yesterday indicated that plain clothes police stormed the party offices in Braamfontein. They arrested Moyo, Mavhunga and secretary Nhamo Chikowore.
Moyo allegedly pleaded with the police to release him since he wanted to welcome party president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
Party supporters allegedly stormed the police station demanding to be thrown into custody with their colleagues. The police reportedly released the group before advising them to report back at the police station this week.
The complainants yesterday alleged that Mr Mavhunga took finger prints of desperate Zimbabweans trying to get work permits for them.
“He then sent the applicants fake SMS inviting them to collect their work permits. Mavhunga charged applicants fees ranging from R1 500 and R5 000,” said one of the victims.
Mavhunga reportedly raised over R60 000 in the scam.
The victims further alleged that they did not find their work permits at the Home Affairs offices.
“We have since lodged complaints with the authorities and Sam has gone into hiding,” said the victim.
The victims also claimed that Mavhunga had started refunding some.
Sources in Johannesburg, however, indicated yesterday that Mavhunga was also at loggerheads with his colleagues over the money realised in the scam.
“Samuel is claiming that the money was sent to Harare to sponsor on-going demonstrations against the arrest of national youth chairman Solomon Madzore.
Mavhunga dismissed the claims that he sent the people messages, adding that he was not aware that South African authorities were looking for him.
Thousands of Zimbabwean citizens were given up to July this year to regularise their stay in South Africa.
The South African government has started deporting Zimbabweans believed to have entered into the country illegal.
More than 500 Zimbabweans were deported last week.
Online Reporter