Joint Inspections Target Labour and Immigration Compliance

Posted 14 June 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Labour

Brought to you by SAnews: The Department of Employment and Labour, in collaboration with multiple state organs, has intensified enforcement of key labour and immigration statutes through unannounced multidisciplinary inspections in Tshwane.

Conducted in terms of the enforcement strategy of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster, the joint operation targeted workplaces in the Pretoria central business district and surrounding areas. The blitz involved inspectors and officers from the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD), Gauteng Crime Wardens, and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA).

The inspections focused on verifying compliance with the following statutory frameworks:

  • Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No. 75 of 1997 (BCEA);
  • National Minimum Wage Act, No. 9 of 2018 (NMWA);
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act, No. 85 of 1993 (OHSA);
  • Unemployment Insurance Act, No. 63 of 2001 (UIA); and
  • Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, No. 130 of 1993 (COIDA).

During the operation, inspectors exercised statutory powers to enter business premises without prior notice. The blitz resulted in the detention of 35 foreign nationals and the initiation of formal legal proceedings. Specifically, three individuals were charged under Section 49(6) of the Immigration Act, No. 13 of 2002 for undertaking employment while holding visitor visas, while two employers were charged for employing 32 undocumented foreign nationals and three individuals without valid work permits. Another employer was arrested for facilitating illegal immigration.

In addition to statutory labour and immigration charges, the multidisciplinary team addressed municipal and safety non-compliance, resulting in requests to the City of Tshwane to disconnect electricity services at specific non-compliant premises.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual obligations; impact is channelled through employer-level compliance and professional advisory duties.
  • For your business: Ensure that your firm’s employment records, statutory registrations (UIF and COIDA), and employee work authorisations are fully up to date to withstand unannounced joint agency inspections.
  • For your clients: Advise clients to urgently audit their payroll records, verify the visa status of all foreign national employees against Section 49 of the Immigration Act, and review occupational health and safety protocols to mitigate the risks of criminal prosecution, fines, and immediate utility disconnections.

Originally published at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sibiya-leads-joint-compliance-blitz-tshwane

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