Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has called for stricter measures and penalties against business owners who knowingly employ undocumented foreigners. Speaking at a stakeholder engagement and service delivery monitoring session in Gqeberha, Minister Motsoaledi emphasized the need to address the issue of illegal employment and take appropriate action.
As part of the government’s efforts to assist citizens in obtaining their documents, the Department of Home Affairs dispatched mobile trucks to various communities in response to a request from the Eastern Cape provincial government. These trucks aim to provide accessible services and support in the documentation process.
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During the meeting, Minister Motsoaledi proposed implementing by-laws to prevent businesses from employing undocumented foreigners and urged parents to register their children to prevent cases like that of Thabo Bester. He stressed the importance of holding accountable anyone who knowingly employs illegal foreigners or foreigners in violation of the law.
According to Minister Motsoaledi, “Anyone who knowingly employs an illegal foreigner or a foreigner in violation of this act shall be guilty of an offence and liable, upon conviction, to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding one year.
Additionally, a second conviction of such an offence shall be punishable by imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine. A third subsequent conviction of such an offence shall result in imprisonment not exceeding five years without the option of a fine.”
In collaboration with the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the Department of Small Business Development, Minister Motsoaledi confirmed that efforts were underway to tighten laws and prevent undocumented foreigners from operating businesses in the country.
In response to community concerns about the presence of spaza shops owned by illegal foreigners and the rise in cases of food poisoning among children, Minister Motsoaledi and Cogta Minister Thembi Nkadimeng co-hosted a workshop in Ekurhuleni in October.
The workshop brought together various stakeholders, including Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Salga, traditional leaders, and the Border Management Authority (BMA).
During the workshop, stakeholders agreed to conduct joint inspections of businesses by labor, health, trade, industry and competition, and immigration inspectorate teams to ensure compliance with relevant laws.
They also committed to auditing spaza shops in villages and townships and establishing mechanisms for registering them with both traditional leaders and municipalities.
Another key outcome of the workshop was the agreement to enhance coordination and collaboration on border law enforcement between the government, traditional and Khoi-San leaders, and the BMA. This collaboration aims to support traditional authorities in keeping records of foreign nationals in their communities.
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