President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a warning to employers in South Africa who hire undocumented foreign nationals, making it clear that the government is stepping up enforcement.
He added that businesses and other employers of undocumented foreign nationals would face the full might of the law in South Africa.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday evening, Ramaphosa said illegal immigration “poses a risk to our security, stability and economic progress”.
He stressed that while the government would act decisively, it would do so within the bounds of the Constitution.
“We will address this problem while ensuring that the fundamental human rights of every person in this country are upheld and protected,” he said.
A focus of the crackdown is employers who flout immigration laws. “The Immigration Act prohibits anyone from employing illegal foreigners who are not documented,” he said.
This warning builds on concerns he raised at the end of 2025, when he signalled that businesses hiring undocumented foreign nationals would face imprisonment or hefty fines under the Immigration Act.
He reiterated that illegal immigration continues to strain public resources and national security, and added that the government is intensifying efforts to repatriate people in the country unlawfully, while promoting legal and skills-based migration.
“To tighten enforcement, we will hire an additional 10,000 labour inspectors this year,” Ramaphosa said.
These inspectors will work alongside police, Home Affairs officials and labour inspectors in coordinated operations targeting violations of immigration and labour laws.
“Employers that hire foreign nationals without the required visas will face the full might of the law,” he warned.
The Department of Employment and Labour has already ramped up inspection blitzes across the country in early 2026.
In February, a large-scale, multi-departmental operation in Newcastle’s textile belt resulted in the arrest of 34 undocumented foreign nationals and two employers.
Crackdown on businesses and undocumented workers
Inspectors reported that some factory owners attempted to evade the raid by locking themselves inside their premises.
In Rustenburg in January, 11 undocumented foreign nationals and six employers were arrested, with the employers fined R15,000 each for contravening the Immigration Act.
In Durban, a joint task team shut down a business run by an undocumented Ethiopian national who had ignored previous health and safety closure notices.
According to the Department of Employment and Labour, enforcement efforts are yielding results. Last year, 68 employers were arrested and paid admission of guilt fines of R10,000 each, amounting to R680,000 in total fines.
In addition, 322 employees were arrested and processed in line with immigration requirements. The tougher enforcement drive is also helped by policy and legislative changes.
The Employment Services Amendment Bill empowers the Minister to set maximum quotas for foreign nationals in specific sectors such as hospitality, construction and agriculture.
The National Labour Migration Policy, approved in 2025, prioritises South African citizens and permanent residents for job opportunities and restricts foreign employment to specific skills.
The government is also strengthening border management. Ramaphosa said funding would be prioritised to secure borders through improved infrastructure, technology and personnel.
Key border posts will be redeveloped through public-private partnerships, and the Electronic Travel Authorisation system will be extended to all international airports and the busiest land ports of entry.
“We are already using drones and technology to greater effect all along our border,” he said. Legal experts have also urged businesses to take the warning seriously.
Law firms, including Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr and Dentons, have advised employers to urgently review the employment status of foreign workers and ensure full compliance with immigration and labour legislation to avoid criminal liability.
