South African government has vowed to hunt down those hiring undocumented migrant workers in their country after attacks.
The Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told journalists that security forces would “clamp down on private business owners who do not abide by the labour and immigration laws”.
She was flanked by the ministers of police, internal affairs and justice in South Africa’s so-called “security cluster” which convenes for urgent issues.
This is part of the country’s plan to ensure tranquility after the violence it’s currently battling with.
The continent’s most industrialised economy is a major destination for workers from neighbouring Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as well as from further afield, including South Asia and Nigeria — the most populous country in Africa.
South Africa has been battling with a stubbornly high unemployment rate of 29 percent.
It is unknown how many foreigners are in South Africa illegally, but various reports claim the figure is in the millions.
South Africa on Tuesday also confirmed that its embassy in the capital Abuja and consulate in the economic hub of Lagos had been reopened after closing when the tensions first began simmering last week.
At least 12 persons has been killed since the start — 10 South Africans and two foreign nationals — have been killed since the start of the month in the surge of anti-foreigner attacks.
Nigeria has said it is flying hundreds of its citizens home.
Mapisa-Nqakula said police and other ministries in the security cluster would intensify inspections on those employing undocumented foreign nationals.
