South Africa starts raiding companies employing illegal foreigners around Gauteng Province in response to xenophobia

South Africa’s Home Affairs department has started a raid similar to 2015’s Operation Fiela whereby they are raiding companies employing illegal foreigners around Gauteng Province to diffuse xenophobia related violence targeted at mostly Africans in the neighbouring country.

Yesterday, Home Affairs spokesperson, Mr Thabo Mokgola, said there was nothing wrong with the inspections they were conducting as they were in line with the law which requires local companies and organisations to employ at least 60 percent of the local citizens. Speaking to The Herald in an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Exiles Forum Chairperson, Advocate Gabriel Shumba said Zimbabweans and other foreigners around the Gezina and Sunnyside in the City of Pretoria were among those raided by home affairs officials. He said the raids started last week and coincided with the xenophobic attacks. He added that it was politically wrong to start or intensify searches for documentation when the situation was still volatile.

More: Herald