South African Consul General in Dubai Andrew Lebona. ARCHIVE

South African Consul General in Dubai Andrew Lebona has been recalled amid allegations of visa fraud and security breaches, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announced. In a media briefing, the department said it "acted on information from whistleblowers on alleged security breaches and misconduct" and recalled Lebona "from Dubai to Pretoria to respond to the preliminary investigation findings". The investigation is ongoing, according to DIRCO. A Sunday Times report also alleged that Lebona was involved in orchestrating break-ins at his office as part of a scheme to sell visas for Emiratis to enter South Africa. He is also accused of various misconduct, including allegedly arranging for his son to illegally obtain diplomatic travel authority. South African Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has said that visas obtained through the alleged scheme will be cancelled. PIA/Expat Media
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