By Sihle Mavuso
Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality has ordered Estcourt property owners to stop leasing premises to undocumented foreign nationals operating businesses unlawfully, after Mayor Mduduzi Tholumuzi Myeza vowed a post-Easter crackdown in the KwaZulu-Natal town.
The directive, dated 7 April, was issued after Myeza said that after the Easter long weekend the municipality would embark on an official campaign targeting undocumented foreign nationals in the area.
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“After the Easter holidays we will face foreign nationals head on, their time is over, especially in town (Estcourt). I have heard that some of them say they are not going anywhere, we will see who shall have the last word on the matter,” Myeza said in a post on his official Facebook account.
“Those people who are owning the buildings, particularly in town, they must stop giving the illegal foreigners buildings,” he said.
In the formal directive issued by the office of the municipal manager after that, property owners were told that they have an obligation to help ensure that businesses operating from their premises comply with the law, including immigration and other applicable legislation.
“The Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality has noted with concern the increasing number of business premises with the Estcourt Central Business District being leased or sub-leased to individuals operating businesses unlawfully, and in some instances, are suspected to be foreign nationals without the required legal documentation to conduct business within the Republic of South Africa.
“The practice undermines regulatory compliance, creates unfair competition, and poses risk relating to health, safety, and orderly economic development within the CBD. Property owners and landlords are hereby reminded that they have a legal responsibility to ensure that tenants occupying their buildings operate lawfully and in compliance with all applicable legislation,” reads part of the directive to the property owners.
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The directive further warned that municipal officials would soon undertake a process to enforce all applicable laws and, where there are violations, action would be taken.
“Please be advised that the municipality, together with relevant law enforcement authorities, will be conducting compliance inspections within the Estcourt CBD. Non-compliance may be subject to: compliance notices, fine and penalties, closure of unlawful businesses and legal action in terms of applicable legislation.
“The municipality requests your cooperation in promoting a lawful, safe and economically sustainable Estcourt CBD,” the directive states.
The local business federation, the Uthukela Business Federation, is yet to publicly comment on the directive issued to its members to urgently comply with.
Myeza is not new to butting heads with suspected illegal immigrants. He has previously led raids in local townships and peri-urban areas targeting them. He also led a protest march to get an alleged illegal immigrant jailed for raping a woman from Ntabamhlophe.
Late last month, Myeza was part of an anti-illegal immigration march in Durban organised by the March and March Movement in conjunction with Operation Dudula. Other political parties that joined that march included the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and ActionSA.
