A major immigration enforcement operation on Monday morning brought construction to a standstill on lower Bree Street in Cape Town. Authorities detained 27 undocumented foreign nationals at a busy 42-story hotel construction site, turning the development into a tightly controlled zone as police and Home Affairs officials moved through the site checking permits and identification documents.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as workers scrambled to avoid inspection. Police vans lined the street and exits were sealed, while officers coordinated with multiple agencies including Metro Police, the Cape Town Central City Improvement District, and Department of Employment and Labour officials.
Construction activity came to a complete stop for several hours before resuming later in the afternoon. Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that the arrested workers were being held at Cape Town Central Police Station and will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once formally charged under the Immigration Act.
This raid highlights the ongoing reliance on undocumented labour in South Africa’s construction sector, a topic that has sparked heated debate in urban economic hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg. Industry insiders note that undocumented workers are often hired because they accept lower wages and more challenging working conditions, particularly on large-scale developments racing to meet deadlines.
Done By: Lisakanya Tebele
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