It has been reported that a woman implicated in the mall terror attack could be Samantha Lewthwaite, who has been dubbed the 'White Widow' by the British media. (AFP)
The circumstances surrounding the fraudulent acquisition of a South African passport by terror suspect Samantha Lewthwaite, or the "White Widow," are still being investigated, a government official said on Thursday.
Several law enforcement agencies were gathering information about Lewthwaite, home affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni told reporters in Pretoria.
"This matter is being investigated, but not by the department of home affairs only. It is being investigated by the JCPS [justice, crime prevention, and security] cluster," he said.
"Those investigations are still continuing. Once they are finalised, the public will be informed. The [results] of the investigations will come forward."
The government is investigating reports that Lewthwaite may have travelled to Kenya on a South African passport, under the name of Natalie Faye Webb, and taken part in the Westgate Mall siege in Nairobi.
Last week, home affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said South Africa would work with the Kenyan authorities to obtain a copy of the passport "to enable us to determine the facts".
It has been reported that a woman implicated in the mall terror attack could be Lewthwaite, who has been dubbed the "White Widow" by the British media. – Sapa