In an effort to hide the employment of undocumented immigrants, an increasing number of businesses are attempting to evade inspections, according to the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL). These attempts to hide illegal activity have proven to be futile as law enforcement agencies are ramping up raids across the province and city. KwaZulu-Natal DEL spokesperson Nhlanhla Khumalo said all business owners are aware of the laws regarding the employment of immigrants; however, many have chosen to employ undocumented immigrants to sidestep requirements relating to minimum wages and working conditions.
“The number of complaints indicates there is a large amount of non-compliance that needs to be addressed” he said. Khumalo said the most recent raid took place at Fushun Pty Ltd, a clothing manufacturer based on Arthur Thompson Street, Willowton, which was found to be non-compliant with all DEL legislation. He said the joint operation between DEL, South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Department of Home Affairs, found that over 100 employees were foreign nationals and that eight were found to be undocumented, which led to their arrest.
The employer was also arrested and charged with contravention of the Immigration Act. Khumalo slammed businesses that hire undocumented immigrants as exploitative, “businesses look at undocumented people as cheap labour and know that they cannot complain to the relevant authorities when their rights are trampled on, as they will risk being detained”. The Willowton raid comes on the heels of one in Eastwood last week, where a convoy of police and Home Affairs officials descended on two factories and arrested 17 undocumented foreign nationals. Two Pakistani-national factory owners were arrested.
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