Durban – The Home Affairs Department is set to deal with illegal immigration by making sure work visas were granted to foreign nationals whose skills were needed.
Departmental spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said on Wednesday: “An employer will be compelled to demonstrate to the Department of Labour that there was no skill for a particular employee in the country before Home Affairs can issue a work visa.”
Tshwete was reacting to grievances raised by the Mamelodi Concerned Residents, who demonstrated against illegal immigrants two weeks ago, saying they committed crime and stole jobs.
Protesters marched through Pretoria and handed a memorandum to the department, in which they demanded to know why some foreigners were granted asylum when there was no war in their countries.
They also complained that locals were without jobs, and blamed the presence of foreigners on the unemployment situation.
A march against xenophobia has been organised in Pretoria on Thursday.
Mamelodi Concerned Residents organiser Makgoka Lekganyane said they met officials from Home Affairs, but were not briefed about how the department would address their issues.