Haroon Yusuf is 22 years old. He arrived in South Africa in 2020 with the intention of finding work, stability and a chance to build something better than what he left in Malawi.
For a while, that dream felt within reach. “I was working, but my employers had to let me go because I didn't have the relevant documents. It's sad, but I also understand.”
That sense of stability began to break down for them when reports started coming in about how illegal immigrants were supposed to leave the country. “I had to make the difficult decision to go back to Malawi. For me, June 30 is the reason for me to go back home.”
Read more: Police and community policing platforms activate security plans ahead of June 30 march
He said he had already informed his family in Malawi about his return. When asked if he would ever consider coming back to South Africa, he didn't completely close the door.
“Yes, but only after I get my papers in order because he is the reason I am going back home.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed concerns about illegal employment practices in a speech on 7 June, warning that the government would step up action against employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals.
“Every person working in our country should be allowed to work legally.”
Also read: Sandton Community Policing Forum preparing ahead of June 30
Ramaphosa said some businesses were exploiting undocumented workers. “There are businesses in our country that employ undocumented immigrants because their legal status means they can't stand up for their rights.”
He said some of these employers hire undocumented immigrants because they pay them well below minimum wage, and make them work long hours without proper compensation.
“We have discovered many workplaces where undocumented immigrants are made to work in poor conditions. Employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and take advantage of their vulnerability are breaking the law.”
He said this behavior undermines the country's labor standards and fair competition. “They undermine opportunities for South Africans. Such conduct will be subject to far harsher penalties and far more rigorous enforcement.”
Ramaphosa also stressed that the government would tighten enforcement measures, saying authorities were going to increase penalties, including prison terms, for employers who violate the Immigration Act.
“We cannot have a situation where employers, after being charged and found guilty of violating our laws, simply pay fines and continue to employ undocumented foreign nationals whom they exploit.”
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