Home Affairs to crack down on immigrant employment in hospitality sector

Source: The Business Day, 31/01/2017

The Department of Home Affairs is planning interventions into economic
sectors where there appears to be widespread noncompliance in the
employment of immigrants, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on
Tuesday.


This was not intended to be "antagonistic" to business, but there was
a need to proactively address sectors where many businesses were
failing to meet the requirement of employing at least 60% South
African nationals, Gigaba said during a briefing in Pretoria
He was speaking after a meeting between the department and
representatives of the hospitality sector, including restaurants and
hotels, to discuss high rates of immigrant employment in the
sectors.


There is alleged widespread lack of compliance with the immigration
act and labour laws, and concerns were being raised by citizens,
communities and government departments, Gigaba said.


The department would undertake inspections of various businesses and
work with industry associations on issues of enforcement and research,
the minister said.


The Immigration Act requires companies to demonstrate 60% South
African citizen employment across the business when, for example, a
company applies for corporate visas or individuals apply for business
visas.


The issue was brought to the fore by union federation Cosatu earlier
in January, after accusations that a Chinese company had been allowed
to bring in illegal workers during the construction of a cement plant
owned by the PPC in the North West.


Gigaba said the department would probe those allegations and others.


He said there was a need to "proactively" address issues of
migration, given international focus on the issue and the rise of an
unsustainable "right-wing" backlash against the issue.


Migration could not be halted entirely, but had to be managed, he
said. "It is our responsibility as government to respond to issues …
we will be implicated in any of the tensions that worsen from a
failure to act," he said.


Following the meeting with hospitality sector representatives, Gigaba
said other meetings were planned with the construction and agriculture
sectors.


"Among other things, they (hospitality sector) agreed to raise
awareness on the dangers and consequences of employing undocumented
people, including the risk on their part to jeopardise their
licenses," Gigaba said.


© Business Day