Local reporting referencing Cape Town raids (various dates, context 2024–2025)

The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) fined 68 employers a total of R680,000 for hiring illegal foreign nationals without valid work permits, in joint inspections with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and police.

During the nationwide blitz, 68 employers and 322 foreign nationals were found in violation of immigration laws. Each employer paid an R10,000 fine, while the foreign workers were handed over to DHA for processing.

• Eastern Cape recorded the most offenders (34 employers fined R340,000), followed by Mpumalanga (15), Limpopo (8), KwaZulu-Natal (5), and Western Cape (2).

• Of the 322 illegal workers, Limpopo had the most (163), followed by Western Cape (43), Eastern Cape & Gauteng (34 each), Mpumalanga (30), KwaZulu-Natal (16), and Free State (2).

Separately, between April 2023 and March 2024, DEL processed 6,255 work permit applications, of which 5,383 were rejected and 872 recommended. Most applicants were from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Namibia, mainly seeking work in mining, agriculture, and education/training sectors.

• Sources: Cape Times / IOL / Cape Argus articles summarising DEL operations. Cape Times+2IOL+2