Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber plans to boost inspections by 50%, deporting those employed illegally.Home affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says in the coming year, his department will intensify inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by over 50% and take action - including deportations - against people illegally employed.

The initiative was started under his predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, who earlier this year called for harsher sanctions against business owners who knowingly employ undocumented foreigners.

Schreiber said the department was working on the provision of smart ID cards to naturalised citizens. He said 280 cards had already been issued and 697 were in progress.

“Once the system has been adjusted to verify compliant applications, all naturalised citizens will be able to visit any home affairs office equipped with live-capture facilities to apply for their smart ID cards,” he said.

Schreiber also announced that home affairs would urgently reactivate the Immigration Advisory Board. It will provide him with “evidence-based advice” on tackling matters such as the process of consultation on the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.

In his maiden budget vote speech in parliament, he said home affairs would focus on:

• Addressing visa backlogs and failure to process applications timeously;

• Safeguarding South Africa’s borders;

• Reducing queues by ensuring the online system worked effectively;

• Expanding home affairs footprint through introducing infrastructure and mobile trucks;

• Tackling corruption; and

• Strengthening international migration and refugee protection - in line with the provisions of the constitution.

To be effective in unlocking scarce skills, growing tourism and creating jobs, Schreiber said home affairs “must urgently clear the backlog in the processing of permits”.

The department, he said, had set up a dedicated team to reduce backlogs. “Our dedicated team has already reduced the backlog by processing 92 886 applications out of a total of 306 042.”

He added: “This is especially urgent because the department is currently inundated with costly court cases it cannot afford.

“In many instances, these cases stem from a simple inability to process applications in a timely manner - forcing clients to seek judicial relief.” Securing SA porous borders was “another side of the coin” - while attracting investment and tourism.

“South Africa needs to do much more to combat illegal immigration,” said Schreiber. “It is central to our national security, but also out of our commitment to economic growth.

“The reality is that no-one will want to visit or invest if we allow our country to lose control over its borders and internal security.”
Branching out

On shortening queues at home affairs offices, he said the department was “expanding our footprint and taking services closer to the people”.

“I am pleased to report that the project to expand into shopping malls has seen the opening of conveniently located offices in Menlyn Mall in Pretoria, Cresta Mall in Johannesburg and Pavilion Mall in eThekwini.”

On corruption, he said: “Theft, fraud and other forms of maladministration, pose an existential threat to the vision for a dignified home affairs that powers economic growth.

“This includes devaluing our official documents.

“Although the announcement by Ireland last week that citizens of South Africa and Botswana now require visas to visit the country did not specifically mention this issue, I am still going to request a meeting with the Irish ambassador, to understand the extent to which concerns over corruption influenced this regrettable decision.”

The Bargaining Council for Restaurants, Catering and Allied Trades had not been informed by the department about planned inspections.Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said he would be intensifying inspections to identify undocumented foreign nationals in some sectors including the food, mining and farming industries.

However, officials say they have not even been informed of when these inspections will start.

The general secretary at the Bargaining Council for Restaurants, Catering and Allied Trades, Maggie Pooe, said they were shocked to read the announcement in the news because “the DHA had not informed us about.”

She added that in Joburg alone in the past five years, the industry had seen a large number of foreign nationals, both documented and undocumented.

Implementing Immigration Act

The Immigration Act says anyone who knowingly employs an illegal foreigner or a foreigner in violation of the Immigration Act shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or a period of imprisonment not exceeding one year for a first offence.

Earlier reasons behind the use of undocumented foreign nationals were said to be cheap labour and exploitation as employers knew that they could not report them as they would also be in contravention of the law.

The Immigration Act caters for the admission of foreign nationals to reside in South Africa and is connected with their ability to work.

However, the Labour Relations Act is applicable regardless of the legal status of the employee.

The LRA governs disputes relating to unfair dismissal and unfair practices and regulates the resolution of these disputes.

The CEO of Free State Agriculture, Gernie Botha, said they were not always informed of specific instances where such inspections took place.

“At the moment I am aware of one employer who was charged, although I suspect that there may be more incidents.”

Botha said, “When foreign nationals are employed, additional documentation needs to be provided. If noncompliance from the employer is found, the employer can be arrested for employing an illegal immigrant.

Mass Arrest and Deportation: SAPS Targets Illegal Activities in Limpopo.
In a large-scale operation conducted by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo province, 208 undocumented individuals were apprehended, and suspected stolen property was recovered.The operation, which targeted the Marble Hall and Groblersdall policing areas in the Sekhukhune District, began on the evening of Thursday, July 19, 2024, and continued until 11:00 the following day.

The primary goal of this extensive operation was to address illegal activities in the Leeuwfontein area and surrounding farms. The results of the operation were significant, with the arrests breaking down as follows:

-176 Zimbabwean nationals

-28 Mozambican nationals

-4 Indian nationals

All individuals were taken into police custody for contravening the Immigration Act.
During the course of the arrests, police made additional seizures. A white Toyota Hilux bakkie, loaded with oranges suspected to be stolen, was confiscated from two foreign male nationals.

In a separate incident, one male suspect was apprehended for possession of a suspected stolen plasma smart television set, which was discovered in one of the rooms at a local farm.

The operation`s aftermath saw swift action taken. The Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals, including both adults and minor children, were immediately deported to their respective countries via the appropriate border crossings.

This quick deportation process highlights the efficiency of the operation and the coordination between SAPS and immigration authorities.

The four Indian nationals, however, remain in police custody. Authorities are conducting further investigations to facilitate their deportation to India, suggesting that their case may involve additional complexities or require more extensive documentation.

Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, expressed strong support for the operation. She commended the `outstanding work displayed by the men and women in blue in combating illegal activities as well as the contravention of immigration across the province.` Furthermore, she emphasized that such efforts to maintain law and order will continue throughout Limpopo.

This operation raises several important points:

-The scale of undocumented immigration in the area, particularly from neighboring countries like Zimbabwe and Mozambique,.

-The potential link between undocumented individuals and other criminal activities, such as property theft,.

-The immediate deportation of minors along with adults, which may spark discussions about the treatment of undocumented children.

-The different handling of nationals from countries further afield (in this case, India) compared to those from neighboring nations.

-The ongoing challenges faced by South African authorities in managing border control and immigration issues.

As South Africa continues to grapple with these complex issues, operations like this one in Limpopo are likely to remain a key part of the government`s strategy to address undocumented immigration and associated criminal activities.

Source:

https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=54527

Work is underway to position the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) as a powerful engine for economic growth. Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, has emphasised the department’s crucial role in achieving rapid, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, a priority set by the Government of National Unity.
Presenting the DHA’s Budget Vote in Parliament on Monday, Schreiber highlighted the importance of accelerating the reforms introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa through Operation Vulindlela. This government-driven initiative aims to speed up the implementation of structural reforms in key sectors to foster inclusive economic growth.
“The Apex Priority of the Government of National Unity, as captured in our shared Statement of Intent, is to generate rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth to create jobs,” said Schreiber.
Boosting the Economy with Scarce Skills
Schreiber noted that the National Treasury has identified increasing the availability of scarce skills in the labour market as the second most powerful step to grow the economy and create jobs for South Africans, just behind the eradication of load shedding.
“To fulfil this mandate of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Home Affairs will enhance our role as an economic enabler by accelerating the implementation of Operation Vulindlela’s reforms. Alongside steps already taken, such as the streamlining of required documents and the introduction of the Trusted Employer Scheme, we will do much more,” Schreiber stated.
Trusted Employer Scheme
The Trusted Employer Scheme, a key recommendation of the work visa review, allows major investors and large employers to follow a streamlined process with improved turnaround times. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to attract and retain critical skills in the country.
Addressing the Backlog
Schreiber also addressed the urgent need to clear the backlog in the processing of permits, which is essential for unlocking scarce skills and boosting tourism to create jobs.
“The department has set up a dedicated team to reduce the backlog. I am pleased to report that we are starting to see progress. Our dedicated team has already reduced the backlog by processing 92 886 applications out of a total of 306 042. This is a reduction of 30%. But we must do more, because clearing this backlog is the only way to avoid another extension of the concession on visas, waivers and appeals that has already been granted three times,” Schreiber explained.
He added that receiving daily reports on the backlog’s status will ensure that the department remains focused on eradicating it.
Building Trust with Stakeholders
Schreiber underscored the importance of repairing relationships with key stakeholders to build trust and form the necessary partnerships to move forward. This is particularly urgent as the department is currently overwhelmed with costly court cases, often resulting from delayed application processing.
“This is especially urgent because the department is currently inundated with costly court cases that it cannot afford,” Schreiber said

• Leon Schreiber plans to put in place points-based system
• Minister says he will also act to resolve nomad visa confusion

South Africa must fix a dysfunctional work permit system or sacrifice economic growth, the country’s new Home Affairs minister said, pledging to resolve a crisis that employers say limits investment.
A byzantine application process that can extend beyond a year has contributed to a backlog of hundreds of thousands of applications, while miring his department in lawsuits from people demanding rulings on their submissions.
That’s been accompanied by a national debate where foreigners are routinely accused of stealing South African jobs, in a country with an unemployment rate of more than 30%. That’s despite the Treasury saying a dearth of skills is the second-biggest threat to the economy after power cuts, and skilled workers create jobs for those less qualified.
A German-South African business association, which represents companies including Volkswagen AG, has said the chaos threatens operations that support 100,000 jobs.
Won’t Grow
“This country’s economy will never grow if we don’t open our doors to people who want to lawfully come here and make a contribution and help us get on track,” said Leon Schreiber, appointed as minister last month in a coalition government dominated by his Democratic Alliance party and the bigger African National Congress.
“It is one of the jobs of political leadership to go out and actually make these kind of arguments to say this is where the problem actually is,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “Don’t scapegoat and include people who are trying to actually help us build the country.”
One of the 35-year-old minister’s priorities includes adopting a points system to allow skilled workers to take up employment based on their qualifications, job offers and income level.
Another is resolving confusion around a so-called nomad visa, which is designed to cater to remote workers who want to base themselves in South Africa. It became law earlier this year but has frustrated potential applicants because the requirements are unclear.
“The points based system is, I think, fundamental to overhauling the whole system because it’ll do away with these different requirements for different categories,” said Schreiber, who is the second-youngest member of the 34-member cabinet. “It will streamline that whole process.”
He also said repairing “the hostile” relationship between Home Affairs and permit applicants is key to turning the department into “an economic enabler” focused on job creation.
“This is the only department that has the capability to, within a relatively short period, bring in the skills that companies need,” he said.
Angry Tourists
In addition to the work permit problem, Schreiber said he will focus on complaints about getting tourist visas, with some visitors being deterred by the difficulties in securing permission to visit South Africa.
“There’s huge markets in China and India that are sending a lot of complaints through about how those processes are conducted,” he said.
To tackle the work permit problems the department is working with the help of resources from Business Unity South Africa, a grouping of the country’s biggest businesses, and Deloitte LLP, he said. He will meet with a unit of FirstRand Ltd. for further assistance. Schreiber also plans to revive the country’s Immigration Advisory Board.
Still, Schreiber touted some recent success.
Since April, the backlog of work permit, spousal visa and permanent residence applications has been cut by 30% to about 213,000, he said.
Home Affairs could “be central to addressing the skills shortage in South Africa,” he said. “That is not a curse. It’s a great opportunity.”