South African travellers abroad may be subjected to more stringent immigration procedures in future if terrorists and criminals continue to use fake South African passports, SABC radio news reports.
Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Leslie Mashokwe said if the situation deteriorated, it could lead to difficulties for innocent South Africans overseas.
The report said two terror suspects arrested in Pakistan apparently had South African passports.
On July 19, South African Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed (48) was arrested and charged four days later with illegal entry into the United States, falsifying information and falsifying a passport.
A senior US federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that investigators were trying to determine whether the woman had ties to terrorist groups. So far nothing has been substantiated, the source said. – Sapa