Vereeniging company busted for hiring undocumented foreign nationals during labour inspection

An inspection of labour laws violations at a factory in Vereeniging has potentially uncovered an underground operation of the movement of undocumented foreign nationals. 

Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya, led a multidisciplinary Blitz Inspection at Vientiane PVC ceilings & PVC Pipes. 

The factory was targeted for using the cheap labour of undocumented foreign nationals. 

The factory was closed when inspectors arrived on Tuesday.

After forced entry, a team of inspectors from the departments of labour and employment, as well as home affairs and SAPS, searched the premises.  

Only 20 people were seen while the business usually has around 100 workers on site. 

After hours of searching for them, inspectors found a tunnel that they believe the employees used to escape.  

Sibiya said this shows the company is intent on hiding its undocumented foreign workers. 

"There is a well-manufactured and well-designed manhole where you think it’s a manhole water pipe connection, only to find it's a tunnel, it's connected to an electrical switch where you turn it on, and it moves."

Four Chinese nationals believed to be the managers are being questioned. 

One Malawian woman has been arrested for being undocumented, while the South African employees are being questioned about their working conditions