THE KZN Department of Education has dispatched a team to investigate allegations made by uMkhonto weSizwe Party members following their recent visit to Clairwood Secondary School.

In a video circulating on social media, the MKP members are seen confronting the school principal at his office.

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The MKP accused the principal of remaining mum while the school has leased one of the halls to a private company.

Siphesihle Hlongwa of MKP Labour desk said during their inspection they discovered that the school signed a lease agreement with the company which employed undocumented illegal immigrants.

“We are concerned because there are children in the school, while they are people who are in the country illegally. Should something happen to these children, how are we going to trace these undocumented immigrants.

“The principal advised that the contract [between the school and company] has existed for over 10 years but he has occupied the position for only four years. Before his arrival the factory has been existing already. He was told that it is part of their fundraising programme.”

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The MKP Labour Desk also raided a factory in Clairwood and removed the workers suspected to be undocumented foreign nationals.

“The school has turned a hall into a factory and rented it out to an Indian family. In addition to that, the factory hired more than 20 undocumented people from Malawi and Zimbabwe,” said Hlongwa.

Spokesperson for KZN Department of Education, Muzi Mahlambi, said the department is aware of the video circulating on social media.

“The district office has received the video. The department has dispatched officials to investigate the allegations. They will compile a detailed report and submit it to the department before any further action is taken,” said Mahlambi.

The recent visit to the school forms part of the MKP Labour desk’s widespread operation targeting undocumented immigrants in the country.

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The party members have visited factories and companies in Clairwood demanding that the employers remove undocumented foreign nationals and employ South Africans.

The South African Immigration Act of 2002 (Act No. 13 of 2002) states that priority for employment should be given to South Africans, hence employing undocumented immigrants is illegal.

Hlongwa added that the deportation of foreign nationals in South Africa is gaining momentum with political parties such as the Patriotic Alliance in Gauteng joining the call. In KZN another group, known as March to March, has been visiting public hospitals and private companies, demanding the removal of foreign nationals from these institutions.

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