Government is considering fines of up to R100,000 per undocumented worker employed, as part of efforts to strengthen labour and immigration law enforcement
By Mapaballo Borotho
The Department of Employment and Labour is preparing to impose fines of up to R100,000 per worker on employers who hire undocumented migrants, as government intensifies efforts to enforce labour and immigration laws.
Plans are also under way to recruit 10,000 labour inspectors to strengthen compliance monitoring and workplace oversight.
The move comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to tighten penalties for violations of the Immigration Act.
Speaking to Phemelo Motene on Kaya 959’s Point of View (POV), Inspector General Aggy Moiloa explained how the measures could be implemented and what employers need to know.
Moiloa emphasised that employers should prioritise South African citizens during the recruitment process where suitably qualified candidates are available.
“We are having these conversations with employers, especially Chinese-owned factories. Employers also need to stop employing people only to exploit their vulnerabilities,” she said.
“Our priority is to ensure that workplaces are transformed. The laws that are being proposed will ensure that 90% of the workforce is made up of locals. These are some of the measures we did not have before, and in the meantime, we are stepping up our enforcement efforts,” she added.
For the full discussion, listen to the podcast below.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals could face imprisonment or fines in terms of the Immigration Act.
He said illegal immigration continues to place pressure on public resources and poses challenges for law enforcement, adding that government is intensifying efforts to address unlawful immigration while promoting legal and skills-based migration.
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