Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has written to Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant and Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the number of businesses that employ undocumented immigrants in the city.
Mashaba says these concerns were again raised with him during this week’s visit to the Slovo Park community, south of the city, where residents complained of how neighbouring factories are snubbing them and employing undocumented immigrants.
Mashaba says he hopes the relevant ministers will give this matter the urgent attention it requires.
“Community members raised the issue around the factories around their area employing, their claim up to 90-percent of people, undocumented. Not just foreign nationals, because as a country as a country and a city we’re not against foreign nationals, as long as they’re in our country legally. And I promised them that I will take this matter up with Department of Labour and Home Affairs. Home Affairs I’ve been engaging with them for a very long time, but I don’t really believe that we’re making any progress. But unfortunately, the livelihood of our people is getting really very desperate.”
