SOME locals and other foreign nationals employed in South African factories have reportedly been advised by their employers not to report for duty from tomorrow as concerns grow over escalating anti-immigration activities.
The development comes amid increasing calls by an anti-immigration movement known as March and March, which has reportedly intensified pressure on undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa by June 30.
A local based in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, claimed that management at her workplace had instructed foreign employees to remain at home while the situation is being monitored.
“We have been advised not to come to work for now as the employers assess the situation. Some people have decided to return home, while others are still in Newcastle and waiting to see what happens,” she said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Principal Secretary Sizwe Ntshangase said the ministry is awaiting reports from the country’s consulates in Johannesburg and Pretoria regarding concerns raised by Emaswati living and working in South Africa.
This follows a statement issued by the ministry advising Emaswati with concerns to contact and register with the consulates, rather than relying on individuals posing as ‘helpers’.
The concerns arise against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of foreign workers in South Africa and recent enforcement operations targeting undocumented migrants.
The latest developments follow a recent operation in Newcastle, where Eswatini nationals were among 26 undocumented workers arrested during a raid on Chinese-owned textile factories.
According to South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour, the operation resulted in the arrest of 26 undocumented workers from Eswatini, Malawi and Lesotho, as well as a Chinese employer.
The inspection was led by Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Jomo Sibiya, alongside Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza and Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo.
Authorities said the operation uncovered undocumented workers employed at the factories, leading to their arrest as part of an ongoing compliance and enforcement drive.
The Chinese employer was also arrested for allegedly contravening several labour laws, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Unemployment Insurance Fund regulations.
The operation formed part of a coordinated effort involving multiple government departments and law enforcement agencies aimed at enforcing labour and immigration laws.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently acknowledged migration challenges facing the continent, emphasising that countries needed to address the underlying factors driving migration.
He noted that migration was both a continental and global phenomenon that required collective action and cooperation among nations.
