Kimberley farmer faces court as seven undocumented workers detained
A 27-year-old farmer was warned to appear in court or pay a R17,500 fine for allegedly hiring undocumented workers.
Image: SAPS
SEVEN undocumented men were detained and a hefty fine handed to a local employer during a recent clampdown in Kimberley, as part of ongoing efforts to tackle illegal mining and immigration in the Northern Cape.
The arrests came during a recent vehicle checkpoint operation near Ekapa mine, where members of the multi-disciplinary Operation Vala Umgodi task team intercepted the group of men, aged between 20 and 50. Their identities and nationalities are currently being verified by immigration officials.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said that once processed and verified by the Department of Home Affairs Immigration Services, the men will be formally charged and presented to the court for deportation.
A 27-year-old farmer believed to have employed the undocumented workers has been issued with a notice to appear in court. Authorities have offered him the option of paying a R17,500 admission of guilt fine for contravening immigration legislation.
The operation is part of a broader push to root out unlawful mining, human trafficking, and the exploitation of undocumented individuals. Law enforcement has reminded residents and employers that hiring or sheltering undocumented persons is a criminal offence, warning that more crackdowns are on the way.