These workers were trafficked - ATUSWA

MBABANE – Secretary General (SG) of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA), Wonder Mkhonza said the issue of the workers was a clear case of human trafficking and exploitation.

“These workers were employed by an employer who knew very well that they did not have valid working permits. It is a pity that our very own unemployment rate is high and the figures keep on going up from the 68 per cent,” said Mkhonza.

Most recently, over 200 emaSwati were arrested in South Africa after it was discovered that they were working without permits by the police and labour officials.

Those who were able to avoid being arrested were said to have spent nights in a nearby forest in an effort to hide from the police.

It was reported that the Basotho government sent buses to New castle to fetch the citizens of Lesotho who were also victims of this alleged human trafficking.

SITUATION

Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi is on record saying that the situation faced by the textile workers in SA was worrying.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, Police Spokeswoman, Colonel Gwala could only confirm that there were textile workers who were arrested for being found working without permits.

A source at the South African Police Service disclosed that there was a legislation that prohibited someone to employ an illegal foreigner who’s not in possession of a work permit. The source said the piece of legislation was the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 Section 38 (1) and Section 49 (3) read with the Employment Service Act No 4 of 2014 Section 8(4).

“The sentence may differ on merits of the case where the employer is found guilty of knowingly employing a foreigner who was without a working permit as well as the employee who was an illegal foreigner not having working permit and is liable to a payment of fine or jail time not exceeding 12 months,” pointed out the source.

Impeccable sources have revealed that some emaSwati had already been bailed out from the South African police cells by a Good Samaritan