Migrant workers arrested
An immigration officer said they had no choice but to arrest the Zimbabweans. They await deportation. Police spokesperson Sergeant Thembeka Koago said they busted into the premises in the early morning. Some workers were still sleeping while others were already hard at work.
BOIPATONG. – A plastic recycling factory was recently shut down in Boipatong and illegal immigrants were arrested by police. The police, the By-Laws Department of the Emfuleni local government, the Immigration Department and the Department of Home Affairs, responded swiftly following a tip-off from former employees.
An immigration officer said they had no choice but to arrest the Zimbabweans. They await deportation. Police spokesperson Sergeant Thembeka Koago said they busted into the premises in the early morning. Some workers were still sleeping while others were already hard at work.
The workers slept mostly scattered in a place that looked like a pig-sty. The owner, a Chinese national, was not available but his supervisor was there. Koage said, “The Chinese supervisor said the workers earn about R400 per month.
They are not registered with the Department of Labour. At night the workers are locked in the factory. This is a very dangerous way to live. Should a fire start in the store room, no one would escape. There’s no fire extinguisher or emergency exit.” The police have not yet been able to contact the owner.
