South African police says it has smashed a bride-for-cash syndicate which operates by stealing the identities of unsuspecting women and producing fake marriage certificates to aid foreign nationals become South African citizens.

Durban regional police spokesman, Col Robert Netshiunda, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said three people who were accused of making the fake marriage documents had been arrested.

“When officers raided a building in Durban on Monday they seized application forms, copies of IDs and other evidence – which they said one of the suspects was caught trying to destroy,” Netshiunda said.

He added that the police believe many of the IDs were stolen from local women without their knowledge, then used to create fraudulent marriage certificates and visas for foreigners.

“When they come, they come as a married man to a South African woman. When they are here, they will divorce that woman,” Netshiunda said.

“By that time, they got citizenship, so they brought more people. That’s the scam they were allegedly running.

“It is not clear how many people were involved in the alleged scheme or which countries the alleged payees came from.

“Police is analysing computers and hard drives from the scene for more evidence. The alleged office is housed in an unassuming building on a suburban road.

“t was operating as a clandestine home affairs office where they were facilitating marriages, visas and other services that Home Affairs would provide to South Africans.

“The sophisticated operation may have involved an insider at the government department for Home Affairs,” the police spokesperson noted.

The Moroccan government has announced plans to invest $36 million dedicated to establishing a specialised gaming zone in Rabat, its capital.

The gaming zone which is to be known as the “Rabat Gaming City” will be a specialized zone dedicated to gaming in Rabat’s Yacoub Mansour district.

According to Mehdi Bensaïd, Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, the City is one of the key figures driving the project forward.

“Morocco is making a bold move to become a leader in the video game industry in Africa and the Arab world with the creation of the Rabat Gaming City, spanning five hectares and requiring an initial investment of 360 million dirhams,” the Minister said.

“This expansive project will feature a fully integrated ecosystem, including coworking spaces, recording studios, and high-tech conference halls. The goal is twofold: attract major industry players like Ubisoft and EA Games while fostering the growth of local Moroccan studios.

“This significant development, a centrepiece in the Morocco’s 2025 Finance Bill, aligns with the ambitions to position itself as a leading gaming industry player in both Africa and the Middle East.

“The gaming zone in Rabat will serve as a hub for game development, coding, and professional training, as well as offer resources and support to local gaming startups,” he added.

He explained further that the Moroccan government hopes the infrastructure will foster a thriving ecosystem for the gaming industry, eventually generating jobs, attracting foreign talents and investment, and creating a sustainable revenue stream.

“The new gaming zone could create up to 5,000 jobs and yield 5 billion dirhams in revenue by 2030,” Bensaïd projected, emphasising the potential of Morocco’s youth to excel in tech-driven fields like game development.

“Morocco’s commitment to the gaming industry has also garnered international attention. Rabat is set to host the second edition of an international gaming expo next year, following the successful debut of the Morocco Gaming Expo,” he said.