Online Reporter
The South African government has fined employers for hiring foreign workers without valid permits in a nationwide crackdown on illegal employment.
According to IOL, the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has imposed fines totalling R680 000 on 68 employers found guilty of hiring foreign nationals without valid work permits.
This action, revealed in a parliamentary reply by Minister Nomakhosazana Meth, is part of ongoing efforts to enforce immigration and labour laws.
During the latest blitz, 68 employers and 322 foreign nationals were found violating regulations across all nine provinces.
Each employer was fined R10 000, amounting to a total of R680 000, while the undocumented employees were taken for further immigration processing.
According to Meth, the department collaborated with the Department of Home Affairs and law enforcement agencies to conduct blitz inspections.
The inspections reportedly aimed to ensure compliance with labour laws while verifying the validity of visas and work permits.
“In the event of non-compliance with immigration laws, the Department of Home Affairs arrests the non-compliant employers and employees,” Meth stated.
The Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of violations, with 34 employers fined a collective R340 000. Mpumalanga followed with 15 cases, while Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape had eight, five, and two cases, respectively.
Among the 322 undocumented foreign workers arrested, Limpopo had the highest number at 163, followed by the Western Cape with 43. Gauteng and the Eastern Cape recorded 34 each, while Mpumalanga had 30. (iharare.com)
