‘Those who violate our laws better watch out’: Schreiber on crackdown on undocumented foreigners

South Africa has intensified its crackdown on undocumented migrants in recent months, underscoring a commitment to uphold the rule of law.

Emphasising the seriousness of these efforts, home affairs minister Leon Schreiber said: “Let the message spread far and wide: the rule of law is not optional in South Africa.

“Tonight, people are behind bars because they thought they could play games with our immigration laws. Criminals better beware of the modernised and effective Team Home Affairs we are building.”  

This comes after home affairs raided the infamous Babel restaurant in Menlyn, Pretoria, over allegations of exploitation by one of its former employees. Two employees were charged for working without having the necessary documentation to work in South Africa.  The employer was charged for employing undocumented immigrants.

Schreiber highlighted the ongoing efforts of his department despite scarce resources. “Despite resource constraints, Team Home Affairs continues to ramp up operations to restore the rule of law. Our immigration officers are on the ground with other agencies as we speak. Those who violate our laws better watch out because we are building a stronger home affairs,” he said.

Crime stats presented by former Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela for the first quarter of 2023 revealed the scale of the challenge.“For the period under review, we have arrested a total of 9,393 undocumented people,” he said.

“Some of them are linked to illegal mining. The DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] has also arrested 89 suspects from their 40 high-level operations. The work is continuing.”

The “Migration Profile Report” released in March by Stats SA provides further insight into immigration trends in South Africa. The report indicates that the majority of migrants entering South Africa come from countries in the Sadc region. In 2022 this region accounted for 83.7% of the total immigrant population — in contrast to the 4.9% from the UK and Europe, down from 22.3% in 2001.

Employment trends reveal that the proportion of employed immigrants in the workforce has increased from 6.0% in Q3 of 2012 to 8.9% in Q3 of 2022. Stats SA notes that immigrants are predominantly employed in private households (18.4%), followed by construction (17.2%) and wholesale and retail trade (13.6%).

Labour migration often stems from conditions such as poverty, unemployment, political instability or discrimination in the their home countries. According to Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) data, the unemployment rate among immigrants was 15.6% in 2012, increasing slightly to 18.4% in 2017 before dropping marginally to 18.2% by 2022.

The labour force participation rate (LFPR) for immigrants showed a slight decrease from 77.5% in 2012 to 77.3% in 2017, with a modest increase to 78.3% in 2022.

Stats SA also highlighted the complexities associated with labour migration, including exploitation, discrimination and unsafe working conditions. “Migrants may face exploitation, discrimination and abuse, including unsafe working conditions, low wages and violations of their human rights,” said Stats SA.

“Labour migration is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that plays a crucial role in shaping societies and economies around the world. While it offers opportunities for economic advancement and cultural exchange, it also poses significant challenges that require co-ordinated and comprehensive responses at local, national and international levels.”

TimesLIVE