South African Government Cracks Down on Illegal Employment: Employers Fined for Hiring Foreign Workers Without Permits
The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has imposed fines totaling 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.
Joint Inspections Lead to Arrests
According to Meth, the department collaborates with the Department of Home Affairs and law enforcement agencies to conduct blitz inspections. These inspections aim 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.
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.
Eastern Cape Tops List of Violators
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.
Thousands of Work Permits Rejected
In a separate parliamentary response, Meth revealed that DEL received 6,255 work permit applications between April 2023 and March 2024. Of the 60 corporate applications processed, 5,383 were rejected, while 872 work visas were recommended.
Most applications came from Zimbabwe (445), Lesotho (250), Mozambique (86), and Namibia (70), mainly for jobs in mining, agriculture, and education.
However, final decisions on work permits are made by the Department of Home Affairs, which may approve or deny applications after consulting with relevant security departments.