Undocumented employees ‘stoking problems’ – SA Minister

South Africa's Employment & Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has confirmed that his department together with the Department of Home Affairs are currently working on legislation to respond decisively to the challenges with foreigner employment in the country. The Citizen reports that Nxesi said that the department could now find ways to address the issue considering that internal government consultations on the country’s National Employment Policy (NEP) have been concluded. He explained that the NEP would provide an overarching framework on issues of employment including the National Labour Migration Policy. He cautioned SA employers against hiring illegal immigrants who offered the option of cheap labour. ‘I can only sound an early warning to employers continuing to employ undocumented migrants to desist – you are stoking up problems for the future,’ he said. Nxesi said the draft NEP suggests several actions to help the country reach the employment goals outlined in the National Development Plan. One of these is to re-engage discouraged and inactive job-seekers to get them back into the job market.