PRETORIA, Gauteng — A sweeping Pretoria labour blitz has led to the arrest of ten undocumented foreign nationals alongside their employers, marking a significant escalation in the enforcement of South Africa’s labour and immigration law violations. This coordinated crackdown underscores a zero-tolerance approach to workplace exploitation and illegal hiring practices within the local manufacturing sector.
The multidisciplinary inspection was executed by a joint task force comprising the Departments of Home Affairs and Employment and Labour, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Tshwane Metro Police. The raid specifically targeted operations at major corporate entities, including Korteks Textiles Africa and AMKA Products, to verify strict adherence to national regulatory frameworks.
Deputy Ministers Jomo Sibiya and Njabulo Nzuza emphasized that these sustained, high-visibility operations serve a dual purpose: deterring businesses from recruiting undocumented foreign nationals who lack scarce skills, and actively dismantling networks that facilitate illegal immigration.
During the inspection, facility management initially attempted to resist the authorities. Officials firmly rebuffed these efforts, reiterating their statutory obligation to uphold the law. Authorities explicitly dismissed management’s defense that employing hundreds of local citizens somehow justified the illegal hiring of undocumented workers.
Investigations at Korteks Textiles revealed systemic breaches of the Minimum Wage Act, the Labour Relations Act, and the Immigration Act. Staff members reported being paid a mere 28 rand per hour, falling significantly below the statutory national minimum wage of 30.23 rand. Workers also noted a complete absence of provident fund contributions or salary increments, with UIF deductions being the only recorded benefit.
The exploitative environment extended to punitive disciplinary actions. Employees were forced to sign warning letters for minor infractions, such as arriving five minutes late or failing to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), even though they were compelled to purchase their own work uniforms. Furthermore, staff were subjected to grueling 12-hour shifts—often extending beyond that timeframe and requiring them to be logged into company systems at night—without receiving any overtime compensation.
Authorities discovered widespread administrative neglect, with many workers lacking formal employment contracts, UIF registration, or compensation fund coverage. Highlighting the deliberate nature of these infractions, officials pointed out that companies employ dedicated human resources professionals who are fully aware of the legal prohibitions against hiring individuals without valid work authorization.
This enforcement action represents a historic milestone, being the first time such a multidisciplinary labour and immigration raid has been launched simultaneously across all nine provinces. Deputy Ministers Sibiya and Nzuza pledged that these inspections will remain an ongoing priority until corporate entities achieve full legal compliance and demonstrably prioritize South African citizens for available employment opportunities.
