Two executives and a group of undocumented migrants have been arrested in Durban following a raid on their company on Friday morning.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, provincial police chief Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and home affairs officials swooped on Westmead Logistics and arrested the two executives along with 16 undocumented migrants who worked as drivers.
The raid was initiated after the police received intelligence that the giant logistics company was shutting out South African truck drivers in favour of undocumented migrants who were paid lower wages, worked long hours, and rarely rested.
The company owns a warehouse where it moves a range of goods across South Africa and to some southern African countries.
At about 9am on Friday, Ntuli, Mkhwanazi, home affairs officials, and a squad of police gathered along the Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and surrounded the company before pouncing.
After moving in, they found drivers of different nationalities and detained them together with the executives.
Hiring illegal migrants dents economy
Home Affairs took in the undocumented migrants for processing and deportation to their countries of origin.
The executives were taken into custody and will face separate charges of violating the country’s labour laws, which bar companies from employing undocumented migrants.
Speaking to the media after the raid, Ntuli said the provincial government would not back down on these operations.
He added that recently, they have arrested over 100 undocumented migrants in various areas across the province.
He expressed concerns that some undocumented migrants have criminal cases in addition to their illegal status in the country.
Ntuli disclosed: “You will discover that some of them have criminal cases; in addition to going through the deportation process, they will have to face their criminal charges first.”
He said that companies are hiring undocumented foreign workers, which affects the province’s economy and growth.
