Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya orders firms to hire locals first

A construction site near Tembisa got shut down after inspectors nabbed over 50 undocumented workers and found a fake permit.

Clayville raid on 27 February

• Department of Employment and Labour inspectors hit a Clayville construction site with a joint blitz.
• Over 50 foreign nationals lacked valid work or residency documents.
• Workers panicked, with some fleeing and one injuring himself mid-escape.
• A bogus construction permit and safety violations triggered an immediate shutdown.

Deputy Minister Sibiya's warning to bosses

• Jomo Sibiya called out rampant non-compliance with labour and immigration laws.
• His core message was simple: hire South Africans first.
• Untrained, undocumented workers endanger everyone else on-site.
• Unemployment sits above 31%, and youth joblessness runs even higher.

Penalties getting much steeper for violators

• Fines can reach hundreds of thousands of rands for hiring undocumented staff.
• Criminal records and prison time are on the table for serious offenders.
• Arrested workers are now facing potential deportation through immigration channels.
• Site owners linked to the raid face further investigation.

A bigger enforcement push is underway nationwide

• High-impact inspections are being rolled out across the country.
• More labour inspectors are getting added to speed up checks.
• Training programs aim to skill up locals for construction roles.
• New hiring targets for South African workers in specific sectors are being explored.