Chaos as South African Consular Officer Locks Ugandan Passports, Disappears

Several Ugandan nationals are facing travel disruption after a consular officer at the South African High Commission in Kampala reportedly locked their passports in her office and became unreachable.

The officer, identified as Modjadji Mahlangu, is said to have been handling the passports as part of an ongoing visa application process.

However, her office has reportedly remained locked for at least two consecutive days, with colleagues at the mission unable to access the documents or account for her whereabouts.

The issue was brought to public attention by Great Lakes Safaris Managing Director, Amos Wekesa, who raised the alarm on social media.

“She locked their passports in her office and not even a single person at the South African High Commission in Kampala can do anything,” Wekesa posted on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that staff at the mission indicated they were unaware of the officer’s whereabouts.

Among those affected are Ugandan travelers who had planned to participate in the upcoming Two Oceans Marathon in South Africa, having already paid for flights and accommodation.

“Some of the passport holders were meant to travel for the Two Oceans Marathon. They have paid for tickets and accommodation, and the High Commission says they don’t know where she is,” Wekesa said.

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The South African High Commission in Kampala had not issued an official statement on the matter by the time of publication.

Wekesa called on South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs and Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene and assist the affected applicants.

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs Uganda, please don’t take this lightly. Follow it up and ensure Ugandans are not taken for granted,” he urged.

The incident has raised concerns about the handling of passports and the treatment of applicants during the visa process.