PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Four employers have been arrested for allegedly employing undocumented foreign nationals following a recent multi-agency enforcement operation.
The operation also resulted in foreign nationals being detained for verification and deportation processing, while a construction site was ordered to close down for operating without a required permit.
According to Mmeli Coko, acting office manager of the Department of Home Affairs' George office, 34 foreign nationals were apprehended at the Jetty Retirement Estate construction site on 14 October and taken to the Plettenberg Bay Police Station for verification.
"Three were released after their permits were confirmed valid for residence and employment in South Africa, while 31 were detained for allegedly being in the country illegally and not permitted to work," Coko said.
On 15 October, 24 detainees were transferred from the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate's Court to the George SAPS for deportation processing. Five were subsequently released for medical or health-related reasons.
Home Affairs confirmed that 20 people remained in custody, awaiting deportation proceedings at the time of its response.
The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), however, confirmed that the wider enforcement operation resulted in 54 undocumented foreign nationals being arrested and four employers incarcerated for alleged contraventions of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002. The employers are expected to appear in court on 29 October.
The operation was led by the DEL, with Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, SAPS, Bitou Law Enforcement and Bitou Traffic participating. It followed a community complaint alleging the employment of undocumented foreign nationals and non-compliance with labour legislation.
Construction site remains closed
The DEL issued a prohibition notice after finding that the construction site was being operated without a construction work permit.
The entire site was ordered to cease operations, and it remained closed at the time of the department's response.
Both the contractors and the client received enforcement notices.
Other alleged contraventions included non-payment of the national minimum wage, failure to register employees with the Unemployment Insurance Fund, outstanding declarations and documentation, and unpaid Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases assessments.
The operation followed a 30 September march organised by the Bitou Man Shield Voluntary Forum, in co-operation with March and other community structures, over concerns about undocumented foreign nationals and their employment.
In a statement on 20 October, the forum referred to reports of about 300 arrests, 38 people expected to be deported, five company owners arrested and two companies closed.
The DEL said it continued conducting inspections and encouraged the public to report suspected labour-law violations.
Bitou Municipality's acting director of public safety, Andile Namntu, said the municipality's role in the operations was limited to traffic management.
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