“I came to South Africa seeking a chance to rebuild my
life,” said an undocumented migrant, Hardlife Shoko* from Shurugwi. Shoko, who
does odd jobs and sometimes works on farms, claimed, “Exploitation is real
there because the farm owners say we don’t earn much since we don’t pay rent
while working there.”
“I live in constant fear that I will be caught and
deported. It’s a daily struggle to avoid attention but continue working,” he
added.
Nothando Sibanda*, who waits tables at an eatery, pleaded
for sympathy from South African authorities and requested time to regularize
their status.
“We understand that the law must be enforced, but can they
also understand our background and lives? We just need to work, survive, and
support families back home,” she said.
South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister said in his maiden
speech in Parliament that, while extending a temporary concession for
foreigners with pending visa applications, including those appealing against
rejections, until December 31, 2024, the country still needs to do much more to
combat illegal immigration.
“This problem needs to be tackled in a sustained,
integrated, and collaborative way. In the coming year, Home Affairs will
increase the number of inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms, and
mines by over 50 percent to take action against people illegally employed,
including through deportations,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber noted that these inspections would be most
effective when done in collaboration with other departments, such as Employment
and Labour, SAPS, and local government.
“I will be reaching out to colleagues in the relevant
departments to conduct joint operations to maximize our ability to hold
everyone involved in illegal activities to account.”
Recently, Gauteng Social Development Member of the
Executive Council (MEC) Faith Mazibuko also issued a stern warning to landlords
across South Africa, stating that upcoming police raids will target
undocumented tenants and that landlords could face arrest if found harboring
such individuals.
“Residents across South Africa who have undocumented tenants need to take immediate action. When the police commence with the raids, arrests will be made, and it will include the landlord. It is your duty as a landlord to request all documents of your tenants,” Mazibuko was quoted.
“There is now a new tendency where people are rounded up at
their places of work or residences and taken to police stations where they are
asked to pay hefty sums of money – R3,500 or so – for their release,” he said.
“It appears as if migrants are being used by SAPS for fundraising purposes.”
Mabhena noted that while South Africa has the right to
arrest anyone violating immigration laws, the best solution is to document the
undocumented.
“South African middle class and big companies employ
migrant labor and exploit them. We believe the best way to deal with migrant
labour is to document the undocumented,” he said. “The arrests of undocumented
migrants are not new. It has been happening since 1994, even during the
apartheid regime, but it is not the solution.”
Mabhena stated that documenting migrant workers in South
Africa is a viable solution for all parties involved.
“The 2010 example is a good one. Those who did not have
documents were granted them, and we saw a reduction in arrests of migrants,
particularly from Zimbabwe,” he said. CITE
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