A surprise inspection at a Pretoria restaurant resulted in the arrest of two foreign national employees who allegedly did not have documentation to be in the country. (Alex Mitchley/News24)
• The Department of Labour has conducted a `blitz` inspection at a restaurant in Menlyn.
• The surprise inspection came after a complaint alleging the flouting of labour practices by a former employee that started making the rounds on social media.
• One of the restaurant owners dismissed the allegations.
The Department of Labour conducted a `blitz` inspection at a restaurant in Menlyn in Pretoria on Sunday night following a complaint about the flouting of labour practices.
The inspection followed a complaint by a former employee on social media, who said she had to buy her own uniform and did not have a basic salary.
Acting director-general of the Department of Employment and Labour Viwe Mlenzana said they had also received complaints of employees being mistreated and that undocumented foreign nationals were being employed.
With the help of the Hawks and immigration officials, the labour department descended on the luxurious Babel restaurant just before 19:00.
While labour department officials started checking for compliance, immigration officials moved the employees to the back to check their documentation.
The provincial head of home affairs in Gauteng, Albert Matsaung, said officials would check if any of the employees were foreign nationals, and if so, whether they were legally in the country.
Matsaung said two employees at the restaurant had been arrested as they did not have the requisite documentation to be in the country.
However, the restaurant`s legal advisor, Anniela Maree, who was at the scene, said one of the detained employees had applied for asylum.
One of the owners, who identified himself only as Rani, said he employed 70 South Africans, and that the one

undocumented foreign national hired by a manager was an unfortunate mistake.
Rani was also detained, and would be charged with employing an undocumented foreign national, Matsaung said.
Meanwhile, Mlenzana said they had only picked up one contravention at the restaurant, a structural issue that would have to be corrected before the establishment could operate again.

Acting director-general of the Department of Employment and Labour Viwe Mlenzana said they had also received complaints of employees being mistreated and that undocumented foreign nationals were being employed. (Alex Mitchley/News24)

The surprise inspection came after a complaint alleging the flouting of labour practices by a former employee that started making the rounds on social media. (Alex Mitchley/News24)

Acting director-general of the Department of Employment and Labour Viwe Mlenzana said they had also received complaints of employees being mistreated and that undocumented foreign nationals were being employed. (Alex Mitchley/News24)

The surprise inspection came after a complaint alleging the flouting of labour practices by a former employee that started making the rounds on social media. (Alex Mitchley/News24)
Rani said that while he had been in business for more than two decades, Babel had only just been opened.
He added that they followed the laws diligently, but that as humans, it was possible to make a mistake.
On the social media video, Rani said the former employee was disgruntled because she needed more training, but didn`t like it and left.
He rubbished the allegations made against the restaurant that employees were mistreated and said his staff members were well paid.
`Social media can make you popular and be very cruel at the same time,` Rani added V.5611

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