President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined government's plan to deal with the migration crisis.
COSATU in KwaZulu-Natal is calling for the prosecution of employers who hire illegal immigrants. It stated that the current enforcement measures, including those outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night, are not enough to deter this activity.
This comes as businesses themselves, some of whom have admitted to employing illegal immigrants, have argued that further action against them could lead to their businesses shutting down. These businesses contend that they are employing illegal foreign nationals because locals do not want some of these jobs.
The union spoke out after Ramaphosa warned that the government is going to increase inspections and fines for those businesses that employ illegal immigrants. Ramaphosa cautioned business people that they will face consequences for employing illegal immigrants, stating that such conduct will attract far stronger penalties and much stricter enforcement.
COSATU leader in KwaZulu-Natal, Edwin Mkhize, refuted the claim that companies employ foreign nationals because locals do not want certain jobs. He highlighted several industries that are serious offenders, including the clothing and textile, hospitality, construction, transport, security, domestic worker, and farming industries, among others. He added that this practice is widespread across all sectors.
