Pretoria, Gauteng — In a decisive move to enforce national immigration laws, Gauteng police have arrested dozens of undocumented immigrants during a massive Operation Shanela raid in Tshwane, while simultaneously issuing severe financial warnings to business owners and residents who harbor or employ illegal foreign nationals.
The recent crackdown in the Tshwane metropolitan area resulted in the apprehension of 80 undocumented migrants in a single morning operation. Among those detained was a local employer who was caught transporting three undocumented workers in his company vehicle.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni has issued a strict directive regarding the legal liabilities of hiring or sheltering undocumented individuals. According to the Immigration Act, the penalty for employing an illegal foreign national is a fine of R10,000 per person. Consequently, the employer caught with three undocumented workers faces a cumulative fine of R30,000.
Major General Fred Kekana, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing in Gauteng, emphasized the steep financial risks for non-compliant businesses. He noted that if an employer is found harboring 100 undocumented workers, the cumulative fines would exceed R1 million.
Strict Compliance for Employers and Landlords
During a recent media briefing, Major General Kekana outlined the preventative measures employers must take to remain on the right side of the law. He stressed that anyone hiring staff must keep comprehensive records, including full personal details, certified copies of IDs or valid passports, country of origin, and next-of-kin contact information.
These records are not only a legal requirement but also a practical security measure, Kekana explained, helping employers trace individuals in the event of a medical emergency or if the employee commits a crime such as theft. This compliance is mandatory across all sectors, including agriculture, gardening, domestic work, and general handyman services.
Furthermore, the police warned that providing accommodation to undocumented individuals is a criminal offense. Landlords and property owners must verify the legal status of their tenants. Harboring an illegal immigrant carries its own severe legal penalties.
Major General Kekana also highlighted the rampant exploitation of undocumented migrants, noting that foreign nationals are frequently abused by being hired on street corners for below-minimum wages. This practice not only exploits vulnerable individuals but also constitutes a direct violation of the country’s Labour Relations Act.
Defending the Police Record Amidst Public Criticism
Addressing growing public sentiment and social media criticism suggesting that law enforcement is only acting now due to recent anti-foreigner protests, Major General Kekana dismissed the claims as entirely unfounded. He stated that Operation Shanela has been a continuous, high-intensity effort for years.
To illustrate the consistency of these operations, Kekana released detailed statistics. Between April and June of this year, the Pretoria Central police precinct alone arrested 1,300 undocumented migrants, while the Pretoria West precinct apprehended 284 individuals. He noted that the province routinely averages between 800 and 1,000 undocumented arrests per week.
Furthermore, in the four days immediately preceding the latest Tshwane operation, police arrested 132 undocumented individuals. On the day of the interview, an additional 266 arrests were made across the entire Gauteng province.
The Deportation Pipeline
Clarifying the judicial process following an arrest, Major General Kekana explained the strict procedural flow. The South African Police Service (SAPS) handles the initial apprehensions, but the Department of Home Affairs is the sole entity mandated to verify identities and immigration status.
Home Affairs officials participate directly in these operations. Due to the high volume of arrests, verification teams are often deployed to police stations to process detainees. Within 48 hours, excluding weekends, the detainees are brought before a magistrate. The court then issues a formal deportation order, and the individuals are transferred to the Lindela Repatriation Centre. From there, the Department of Home Affairs manages the final logistics of transporting the individuals back to their countries of origin.
Crackdown on Vigilante Protests
The briefing also addressed the recent wave of vigilante protests in Greater Benoni, where demonstrators conducted aggressive door-to-door checks at businesses and industrial parks, often intimidating business owners and workers.
Major General Kekana issued a firm rebuke of these civilian-led immigration checks. He clarified that only the SAPS, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Border Management Authority (BMA) possess the legal authority to verify immigration documents. Certain law enforcement officers, such as traffic police, are also authorized to assist.
Kekana stressed that private citizens demanding that police station commanders provide vehicles and Home Affairs officials to escort them on neighborhood sweeps is illegal. Furthermore, civilians who impersonate officials to demand identity documents from strangers are committing a criminal offense.
Instead of taking the law into their own hands, Kekana urged the public to utilize proper intelligence-sharing channels. Citizens should report suspected illegal activities to the police. Law enforcement will then independently plan and execute coordinated operations alongside the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour.
“We execute it not under duress, not under their watch and being forced, but as our responsibility and day-to-day duties,” Kekana concluded, reaffirming that police operations will remain strictly under the command of authorized state security clusters.