40 undocumented foreign nationals apprehended in Qonce operation

Forty undocumented foreign nationals were apprehended during a night operation in Qonce focused on immigration compliance and human trafficking.

The operation was conducted by the Eastern Cape Missing Person & Trafficking Unit as part of efforts to identify people who were in South Africa without the required documentation, as well as to address human trafficking concerns.

According to the unit, the 40 people were transported to an Immigration Centre for further processing and verification.

The unit said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to work with stakeholders to combat human trafficking and related criminal activities.

In a separate operation in Komga, the Eastern Cape Missing Person & Trafficking Unit worked with the Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Services to target immigration and compliance violations.

Undocumented foreign nationals were arrested for allegedly contravening immigration laws, while fines were issued to employers found employing undocumented foreign nationals.

Authorities also warned employers to ensure that their employees are legally documented and authorised to work in South Africa.

The operations form part of ongoing enforcement efforts targeting illegal employment, human trafficking and other related offences.