50 Foreign Nationals Arrested As SA Police Raid Building Site In Ekurhuleni

South African police on Friday, 27 February, arrested several undocumented foreign nationals working at a construction site in Clayville, Ekurhuleni.

The operation was led by Deputy Minister of Labour Jomo Sibiya as part of a clampdown on employers who are not complying with labour laws. Friday’s raid began at the site of an apartment block under construction.

The site signage shows the company name as Tri Star. When police arrived, some of the workers reportedly tried to run away.

Sibiya said that, in addition to employing undocumented foreign nationals, the company was also in breach of several other labour regulations. He said:

“Anyone who thinks he can undermine the law, the authority of the state, the manner in which they do, we have to hit hard on them and don’t allow them to think we are the state that can’t bite, we are the state that can bite and show people that we’ve got authority.”

According to SABC Radio, at least 50 undocumented immigrants were arrested during a Friday inspection at a site in Clayville, Ekurhuleni.