A total of 63 undocumented foreign nationals and one employer were arrested in a high-level operation led by Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya, and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza, in an industrial area, in Mandeni, on Tuesday.
The operation, which involved the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Home Affairs, SAPS, iLembe District Municipality, and Mandeni Local Municipality, targeted clothing and textile factories suspected of violating labour and immigration laws.
“All in all, 64 people were arrested, mostly undocumented nationals from Lesotho and three sections of factories were closed due to non-compliance,” said Mlungisi Zondi, KZN’s Provincial Chief Inspector for Employment and Labour.
Deputy Minister Sibiya emphasised that the government is committed to rooting out lawlessness and prioritising South African workers.
“South Africa is a constitutional country. We have laws that need to be respected and adhered to. It cannot be that people come to the country and break the law.”
Sibiya criticised employers for exploiting undocumented migrants. “Some employers lure these foreign nationals into the country, train them using South Africans, and then pay them meagre wages because they accept any pay as long as they are working all at the expense of locals,” he said.
He urged South Africans not to lose hope: “We will work tirelessly, day and night, to bring that hope to life.”
Zondi confirmed that all nine factories inspected were found to be in violation of key labour laws. “Three prohibition notices were issued, as well as 36 Compliance Notices. Employers now have 14 days to comply or face prosecution. For Occupational Health and Safety violations, they have 60 days,” he said.
The violations included non-compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the National Minimum Wage Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Unemployment Insurance Act, and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.
Deputy Minister Nzuza said the sting was intelligence-driven. “We knew that the majority of the undocumented nationals were from Lesotho,” he said.
Also present were iLembe District mayor, Thobani Shandu, and Mandeni Local Municipality deputy mayor Lawrence Magwaza.
Two licensed firearms and a magazine belonging to an unknown firearm were also recovered. Investigations are ongoing. The arrested individuals were taken to Inyoni Police Station for processing.