Women are reportedly being paid between R500 and R2 000 to enter into marriages of convenience‚ with the goal of procuring residents’ permits for their foreigner husbands.

Marc Gbaffou of the Africa Diaspora Forum told TMG Digital on Thursday that the practice happens‚ though he could not say how widespread it is.

“We didn’t conduct a survey on the matter‚ but from time to time there is news coming to us. The reports mostly come from officials and migrants.”

The New Age newspaper reported that there is a syndicate selling sham marriages to foreigners for ease of application for residents’ permits.

The deal is done by an agent who provides the woman and a priest to solemnise the union‚ it reported.

Gbaffou said that problems arise when the woman wants out of the marriage.

“They get into contracts with someone [and] take his money [in exchange for the marriage].

“At a later stage‚ they go to Home Affairs with a made-up story — ‘he stole my passport’‚ ‘I wasn’t aware’ — to be free and go get married to another person.”

Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola confirmed to The New Age that women approach its offices in an attempt to back out of their fake marriages. He said that when fraudulent activity is detected charges are laid with the police.

In some cases‚ the foreign men believe that the marriage is real and live with the woman‚ only to discover later that there is someone else.

“For him‚ he got married to the wife‚ only to find out this person was there for his money. You’re living with this person but you’re not sure if they really love you‚” Gbaffou said.

“Some are told‚ ‘I have a man. We weren’t married and he was in prison. He is coming out‚ so I need to cancel this marriage.’ These are some of the stories we hear.”

He accused the authorities of often failing to question the foreign husbands in investigations into fake marriages.

Mokgola was not available to comment at the time of publication. – TMG Digital