A former Department of Home Affairs official has been convicted of multiple counts of fraud and corruption after abusing her position to illegally benefit from funeral policies linked to unsuspecting citizens.
Dawn Pieterson, who worked at the Home Affairs office in Calvinia, Northern Cape, was found guilty of nine counts of fraud and two contraventions of the Births and Deaths Registration Act. Between February 2019 and September 2022, she exploited her access to departmental records to open funeral policies in the names of clients, fraudulently listing herself as the beneficiary.
According to evidence presented, Pieterson went as far as falsely declaring policyholders dead to access payouts. She is scheduled to be sentenced on 26 January 2026.
Minister Schreiber Welcomes Conviction
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber welcomed the conviction, describing it as another milestone in the department’s anti-corruption efforts.
“This latest successful conviction is another step forward in our ongoing work to clean up Home Affairs. It is the ninth conviction secured through the collaboration between the Department and law enforcement agencies. It also follows the dismissal of 37 officials since July 2024,” Schreiber said.
He praised the Counter Corruption Unit, the Hawks, and other partners for their role in exposing Pieterson’s scheme.
Digital Transformation as a Solution
Schreiber added that the case reinforced the urgency of the department’s digital transformation agenda.
“By fully automating and digitalising all departmental processes, as we are doing through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visas and through Digital ID for civic services, we will eliminate the space for human discretion and interference exploited by criminals like Pieterson,” he said.
“We are determined to put criminal officials behind bars, while using technology to close the loopholes they exploit. This is how we can defeat the scourge of corruption once and for all.”
Broader Crackdown on Corruption
The conviction comes amid a broader crackdown on corruption within the department. Since mid-2024, 37 officials have been dismissed, and nine convictions have been secured through cooperation with law enforcement.
The case against Pieterson highlights how systemic corruption at Home Affairs has undermined public trust — but also how targeted reforms and accountability measures may begin to restore it.
