While anti-illegal immigration protests are spreading across SA with public frustration reaching boiling point, President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled a tough new crackdown that will see specialised immigration courts established and employers who hire undocumented migrants facing possible imprisonment.
This was revealed during a public broadcast on Sunday evening.
Ramaphosa’s address comes amid growing pressure on the government to act against illegal immigration following months of demonstrations in several provinces, including Buffalo City Metro.
In March, police in KuGompo City were forced to intervene after protesters threatened foreign nationals and their businesses, which resulted in vehicles being torched while several shops, including the area referred to as California, were closed.
One of the groups spearheading the campaign, March and March, has given undocumented foreign nationals until June 30 to leave the country.
However, in response to this, Ramaphosa acknowledged that concerns over illegal immigration, jobs, crime and pressure on public services were legitimate and demanded urgent intervention.
However, he warned against vigilante action and attempts by groups to take the law into their own hands.
“We will not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence,” Ramaphosa said.
He announced the government’s new plan with the creation of dedicated immigration courts designed to fast-track cases involving undocumented migrants and accelerate deportations.
“We will set up dedicated courts to deal with immigration to speedily support the deportation of undocumented migrants,” Ramaphosa said.
The move, he said, signalled a significant shift in immigration enforcement since the advent of democracy.
He said it was intended to clear a system often criticised for lengthy delays and backlogs.
He also criticised employers who knowingly hired undocumented foreign nationals.
Ramaphosa said certain businesses were exploiting undocumented workers because they were less likely to report labour abuses.
“There are businesses in our country that employ undocumented immigrants because their legal status means that they cannot stand up for their rights,” he said.
“Some employers hire undocumented immigrants because they pay them wages that are well below the minimum wage and make them work longer hours without due compensation.
“Employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and exploit their vulnerability are breaking the law.
“They undermine labour standards. They undermine fair competition. And they undermine opportunities for South Africans.
“We are going to increase the penalties, including imprisonment, for employers who violate the Immigration Act.”
Ramaphosa said the home affairs department, police and labour officials had been tasked to step up enforcement operations, while the employment and labour department had begun recruiting 10,000 new inspectors.
He revealed that authorities had intercepted more than 450,000 people attempting to enter the country illegally over the past year.
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