Illegal workers arrested in massive KZN project

By Celani Sikhakhane

Management of the kwaSithebe industrial park in Mandeni has been accused of employing illegal immigrants from Lesotho.

This was revealed during a meeting with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli on Friday, when he met with local communities as part of plans to revive the industrial site that was turned into the den of criminals after the July 2021 unrest.

The KZN government is injecting millions of rands to rebuild the industrial park and has promised that this would create over 50 000 jobs for the locals.

One of the employees, Lihle Nxumalo, told Ntuli that on Friday morning workers told Lesotho nationals not to come to work because of a planned visit by the premier and the police.

“Most of our people here are not working because these industries are employing illegal immigrants over us. They take advantage of those illegal immigrants and use them to work day and night. They do that because they know that those workers don’t have unions,” said Nxumalo.

During the visit police arrested several illegal immigrants that were found in different factories during the unannounced visit of the premier.

Ntuli revealed that some of the factories were closed immediately after some of the bosses saw the arrival of the police and government officials.

“It is worrying that some factories have resorted to criminal practice in employing illegal immigrants. This area is the industrial zone and the legacy of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi under his erstwhile KwaZulu Government. 

“But the community of the area is suffering from the high unemployment rate, criminals and murder while they have many factories in their area.”

Ntuli said the aim of his visit was to inspect the conditions of the factories since some of them were burned down during the 2021 unrest.

He said his government is aiming at reviving those industries in an attempt to develop the economy of the province.

KZN factories are always accused of exploiting Basotho nationals who are in the country illegally. In Newcastle many factories are investigated for cases of employing illegal immigrants.

The premier has announced that the owner of one of the factories was arrested for employing illegal immigrants.

Pictured above: KZN premier Thami Ntuli during the unannounced visit at kwaSithebe factories in Mandeni where some of the Basotho illegal immigrants were arrested and others ran away.

Source: Premier’s Office