Latest news with #NjabuloNzuza
The Citizen
07-07-2025
- The Citizen
22 arrested during raid on factory employing illegal foreign nationals
The factory had been operating with illegal connections to the municipal power grid after being previously disconnected for non-payment. Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza on Monday revealed that law enforcement discovered weapons and ammunition during a raid on a Roodepoort factory allegedly employing illegal immigrants. The factory, owned by a Chinese national, was raided during an operation that led to 22 arrests. Police investigate factory and foreign nationals The discovery of weapons has escalated the matter beyond immigration violations. 'There is a manager here who is not South African. They are busy trying to get them to open the safe because part of the thing that they found here is ammunition, weapons and all sorts of things which really point to a police matter now and the police are handling that particular matter,' Nzuza stated. The deputy minister confirmed that authorities have identified the factory owner, who was not present during the raid. 'We know that they've already fingered the owner; they say it is the boss, and the boss is apparently in another suburb somewhere around here in Gauteng. 'We'll deal with that when we arrest that particular individual for transgressing the laws of employing illegal foreign nationals,' he said. ALSO READ: Need an ID? Home Affairs extends office hours Foreign nationals arrests and immigration violations The operation resulted in significant arrests across multiple nationalities. 'We have so far arrested about 22 people. Out of those 22 people, one of them came in through a visitor's visa, but we find them working here. The others do not have any form of documentation. The majority of them, they are coming from Malawi, and others are Chinese nationals,' Nzuza explained. 'All the arrested people are being processed for deportation,' the deputy minister stated. Appalling living conditions Beyond the immigration violations, officials discovered disturbing living arrangements that raised concerns about worker exploitation. The factory had been operating with illegal connections to the municipal power grid after being previously disconnected for non-payment. Nzuza expressed particular concern about the treatment of workers. 'It would have been difficult for anyone to suspect that unlawful activities were taking place here because the managers and workers live and sleep in the factory. 'The people who are working here are also sleeping here, which means that they do not move up and down, which is more like a detainment kind of situation that we found. The gross living conditions are absolutely appalling for us,' he said. ALSO READ: Here is what's causing delays at Home Affairs offices Operation new broom success The raid was conducted as part of Operation New Broom, a multidisciplinary law enforcement initiative targeting illegal activities. It was launched following intelligence received from community members who reported suspicious activities at the facility. The deputy minister emphasised how the operation's success demonstrated the effectiveness of community cooperation with law enforcement. He noted that the covert nature of the operation made detection particularly challenging, as the factory's workforce lived on-site, creating minimal external visibility of the illegal activities. Strong warning to offenders Nzuza used the successful operation to send a clear message to those operating outside the law. 'We want to send a strong message to all who are illegally residing and working in the country that we are coming for them,' he declared. The deputy minister encouraged continued community vigilance, stating that authorities rely on public cooperation to identify and address illegal activities. READ NEXT: Businesses tap Home Affairs' visa reforms to recruit foreign talent and boost tourism
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Only South Africans receive birth certificates, says home affairs
Deputy minister urges parents to register their children within 10 days after they are born to reduce the need for late registrations. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza on Friday handed over 100 birth certificates and identity documents to successful late birth registration applicants in Mabopane, north of Tshwane. Speaking to The Citizen, Nzuza clarified the department's stance on documentation for foreign nationals. 'Birth certificates are only issued to South Africans. For foreign nationals, we issue them with a notice of birth,' he said. Documenting South Africans, not foreigners Nzuza said that no birth certificates were given to foreign-born individuals, amid rising concern about documentation fraud and misperceptions about illegal immigration. 'We have to safeguard the integrity of the population register against fraudulent registration,' Nzuza said. 'There are attempts where people try to register foreign nationals as South Africans. That's why we conduct a lengthy process, including interviews and verification.' He said the department's responsibility is to ensure that only eligible citizens are officially recorded. 'In South Africa, to be a citizen by birth, you must be born to South African parents, or at least one parent must be South African. If we can't trace a parent, we cannot assume citizenship,' he said. ALSO READ: Schreiber on Afrikaner farmers' citizenship as Ramaphosa downplays African Americans refugee offer Challenges with undocumented children Nzuza said social development often intervenes in cases where children are abandoned or orphaned, complicating the registration process. 'These children are sometimes left with people who are not their biological parents. If we can't verify that they are South African, it becomes an issue. But every South African child deserves to be documented, regardless of the circumstances of their birth,' he said. The deputy minister urged parents to register their children within 10 days after they are born to reduce the need for late registrations. 'We are developing systems where a parent can register a child using fingerprints and instant online verification,' said Nzuza. 'In hospitals with more than 5 000 births annually, we've stationed home affairs units so that no child leaves without being registered.' ALSO READ: Delay expected in Sassa grant payments for May — These are the beneficiaries affected Restoring dignity According to the department, the event formed part of an ongoing drive by the department to register South Africans who were never added to the national population register. Many recipients had lived without documentation their entire lives. One beneficiary was born in 1973 and received an identity document for the first time. 'We are officially entering them into the population register. They can now access services such as social grants, healthcare and employment,' said Nzuza. The event was also supported by the Gauteng department of social development, with MEC Faith Mazibuko present to oversee the provision of related services. The South African social security agency and department of employment and labour were also part of the outreach. NOW READ: WATCH: BMA intercepts and detains over 6 000 people trying to enter or leave SA illegally
