More than 300 MK Party supporters brought traffic to a standstill on Durban's South Coast road on Friday before their blitz on businesses employing foreigners.
Labour desk co-ordinator Bongumusa Mhlongo said they were responding to public calls about a lack of jobs as some companies were employing undocumented foreigners.
“We notified companies we would be coming to root out those flouting employment laws. We have also been reliably informed some companies are not paying adequate salaries and wages. It’s something we condemn,” said Mhlongo.
He said logistics companies in the area were known to employ foreign drivers.
Some businesses were closed after hearing about the planned demonstration.
“We are also going to the market and doing spot inspections,” said Mhlongo.
Public order and eThekwini metro police were present as a festive atmosphere marked the blitz with supporters chanting struggle songs.
Mhlongo said unemployment was the biggest trigger of crime and corruption.
A similar initiative garnered support in Pietermaritzburg, where party supporters lead by Mlungisi Zondi were going to factories in Eastwood who were alleged to be employing illegal foreigners.
Londiwe Nxumalo, 28, who was one of the job seekers at the Durban march, said she was dealt a heavy blow when she was retrenched by a textile company in Clairwood in June.
“It was not fair what they did to us. Another challenge was the way in which the company prevented its employees from joining unions. We were being silenced,” she said.
Nxumalo, originally from uMthwalume on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, moved to uMlazi to find work.
This is a developing story.
TimesLIVE
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