Residents from Thembalethu marched to the Garden Route District Municipality offices in George, in the Western Cape, on Friday, saying the government must do more to enforce immigration, labour and business laws.
A memorandum of grievances was handed over to officials after the march.
Organiser of the march, Bathini Malonola, says illegal immigration, unlicensed businesses and labour law violations are putting pressure on local communities.
He says they are calling on government departments and law enforcement agencies to crack down on those breaking the law.
“The issues related to labour, where our fellow Africans from the north are used as cheap labour or victimised because they do not have documents, must be addressed. If employers are found to be hiring illegal immigrants, it is a criminal offence under the law, and the law must be applied and enforced. If the department is complaining about a lack of resources, it should partner with the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) to employ and train young people, deploy them into the field, and strengthen the implementation of labour laws,” says Malonola.
Garden Route District Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, was one of the officials to receive the memorandum of grievances.
“We do have a district coordinating forum where all mayors and municipal managers meet with all other government departments, and we’ll ensure that these issues raised find expression. We’re encouraged by the behaviour of the marchers. We think it was a peaceful, successful march, and we hope this is replicated throughout the country and that we deal with the matters in terms of the law and without resorting to violence,” says Stratu.
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