South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced a crackdown on illegal employment in the country.

South Africa, Lesotho’s neighbouring country, has housed about 40,000 Basotho.

He has pledged to significantly step-up inspections at various businesses across the country, including restaurants, spaza shops, farms, and mines, to identify and take action against those found to be illegally employed.

He stated that the government’s focus will be on deporting any individuals who are discovered to be working in South Africa without the proper legal authorisation or documentation.

He said, this coming year, Home Affairs will increase the number of inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by over 50% in order to take action against people illegally employed including through deportations.

South Africa is faced with a concerning issue of illegal immigration and the employment of undocumented foreign nationals within its borders.

On the other hand, reports suggest that thousands of illegal immigrants are engaged in various sectors of the South African economy, despite the clear prohibitions outlined in the country’s Immigration Act and Employment Services Act.

Moreover, the Department of Home Affairs has emphasized the responsibilities of employers in this matter. Therefore, businesses are required to make a genuine effort to verify the immigration status and work authorization of their foreign employees.

Leon states that this includes checking for valid work visas or permits through the appropriate channels as well as conducting regular immigration audits to ensure compliance.

Furthermore, he indicated that failure to meet these obligations can result in significant penalties for employers. It adds that under the existing legal framework, those found in violation of the Immigration Act may face hefty fines or even imprisonment.

There are between 20 and 50 Basotho deported from South Africa every week.