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Motsoaledi Urges Action Against Employers of Illegal Foreigners

Source: The Citizen, 23/02/2024

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi advocates for stricter measures against business owners knowingly employing undocumented foreigners. Motsoaledi, in collaboration with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, addressed stakeholders in Gqeberha during a service delivery monitoring session.

Following a request from the provincial government, Home Affairs deployed mobile trucks to assist citizens in obtaining documents.

Motsoaledi calls for sanctions against employers of undocumented foreigners, proposing by-laws to prevent them from operating businesses. He emphasizes the importance of parents registering their children to prevent cases like that of Thabo Bester.

`Anyone knowingly employing an illegal foreigner shall be guilty of an offence, with penalties upon conviction, including a fine or imprisonment up to one year. A second conviction may result in imprisonment up to two years or a fine. A third subsequent conviction could lead to imprisonment up to five years without the option of a fine,` said Motsoaledi.

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the Department of Small Business Development collaborate to tighten laws preventing undocumented foreigners from operating businesses.

In response to community concerns about spaza shops owned by illegal foreigners and rising cases of food poisoning among children, Motsoaledi and Cogta Minister Thembi Nkadimeng co-hosted a workshop in October in Ekurhuleni.

Stakeholders, including government officials, traditional leaders, and the Border Management Authority, agreed to immediate joint inspections of businesses and audits of spaza shops. They also committed to establishing mechanisms for registration with traditional leaders and municipalities.

The collaboration aims to coordinate border law enforcement, supporting traditional authorities in keeping records of foreign nationals in communities.

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