Question NW1437 to the Minister of Home Affairs
17 May 2023 - NW1437
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What (a) were the outcomes of the Ministerial Task Team that was assigned the responsibility of reviewing the employment of foreign nationals, particularly considering that the Minister of Employment and Labour and other government officials admitted that some sectors employ up to 100% foreign nationals and (b) are the full, relevant details of the (i) joint programmes that are currently being run with the Departments of Small Business and Employment and Labour to address the employment of illegal migrants, (ii) total number of programmes annually and in which sectors and (iii) outcomes and progress made to address the employment of illegal foreign nationals
Reply:
(a&b) The inter-Ministerial Committee that was assigned the responsibility off reviewing the employment of foreign nationals is chaired by the Minister of Employment and Labour and the Minister of Home Affairs. The task team includes departments in the security and economic cluster as well as employers and unions. The following departments are involved: Department of Transport, Department of Employment and Labour, Department of Home Affairs, South African Police Services and the Bargaining Council. The task team also includes the All Truckers Driver Forum (ATDF), the Road Freight Association (RFA), The Truckers Association of South Africa (TASA), amongst others.
The task team has so far developed an 11point plan with the employers and unions involved in the trucking and logistics sector. This plan was finalised in June 2022. The plan includes the following:
i) Facilitate the appointment of the Task Team
ii) Validity of Foreign Driving Licences
iii) Enforcement of the VISA requirement in issuance of a work visa
• Validity of SA driving licences issued to Traffic Register Number (TRN);
• Interphase between NaTIS, DHA and SAR
iv) Registration with the labour laws ATDF and other organisation to provide details of companies that they are aware of employing foreign nationals
v) Operating Licence processes for freight industry
vi) Driver Capacity and skills (Driving training project)
vii) Integrated and Multi-disciplinary joint law enforcement operations conducted
viii) Amendment of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000
ix) Review the Cross-Border Road Transport Legislation
x) Review of the TRN
xi) Registration of operator in terms of section 45 of the National Road Traffic Act, 2000 (NRTA) - Assessment of the requirements for an “Operator Permit/Card” as per the National Road Traffic Act to determine its effectiveness to achieve the objectives to seek compliance to other laws in South Africa
Due to the economic challenges that arise when there is disruption in this sector, the plans of the IMC have focussed on the trucking and logistics sector. Meetings on this matter are held monthly led by senior officials of the Department of Transport and the Department of Employment and Labour. With regard to addressing the employment of foreign nationals, a total of 1291 drivers have been inspected for their immigration status with 131 found to be undocumented. The Department of Home Affairs through its Annual Performance Plan has planned to conduct 1296 inspections/operations in this financial year to combat the employment of illegal foreign nationals.
END