Hundreds of clothing factory workers took to the streets of Chatsworth last week, marching from Sunset Avenue to Tranquil Street in protest against immigration enforcement operations which they say have disrupted production and threatened jobs.
The march was organised by the eThekwini Clothing and Leather Council (ECLC) amid growing calls from some groups for undocumented foreign nationals to be removed from local workplaces.
Speaking to the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid Newspaper, ECLC chairperson Iqbal Shaik Cassim said the protest was aimed at protecting businesses and jobs in the sector.
Workers who participated in the march said the removal of foreign nationals from factories could negatively affect production and place jobs at risk.
Thembisa Nogula, one of the workers who joined the protest, said many foreign employees possessed specialised skills that were difficult to replace.
“Most South Africans who work here can do cuts but not the intricate stitching needed. Sometimes once they are trained they leave for other factories or start their own businesses and that is a loss for us. They also have a tendency to quit after working a couple of days,” she said.
Factory worker Patsy Pillay from Bayview said production stoppages caused by enforcement operations were affecting everyone in the industry.
“The raids are also an issue as they stop production. The foreign nationals and us work in unity. We have a common goal to earn wages,” she said.
Another worker, Olwethu Khumalo, said the government should focus on supporting struggling businesses and improving wages for workers.
“Government should also consider funding these businesses because workers are getting paid very little wages. We work to be able to buy a bag of rice for two days, and a bag costs over R100. Instead of raiding the businesses, the same energy is needed to fund the businesses so that our lives can be better,” he said.
Cassim said the council had met with senior police officials seeking assistance and clarity regarding the enforcement operations and raised concerns about the handling of a recent operation at a local factory.
He alleged: “We went to the Chatsworth Police Station to address our issues and try to get some help from them because there was a so-called raid at one of the factories. But at the end of the day we heard that it wasn’t actually a raid directed from the SAPS office. Those seven people that were supposedly arrested were later taken to the Cheshire Oval and released there.”
Cassim alleged that police informed the council that enforcement operations would continue.
The ECLC said it had written to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli on 29 April requesting engagement on the matter, but claimed no response had been received after more than a month.
Representing approximately 100 business owners in the clothing, leather and footwear manufacturing sector, the ECLC says the industry employs more than 10 000 semi-skilled and unskilled workers across eThekwini.
The council maintains that government departments and labour authorities have long been aware of employment practices within the sector and argues that sudden enforcement measures, without a transitional framework, could have severe economic consequences.
In correspondence sent to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in April and later to the Department of Home Affairs on 1 June, the council appealed for urgent government intervention, expressing concern over immigration enforcement measures and the impact on factories that rely heavily on foreign labour.
The council warned that continued disruptions could threaten the sustainability of businesses and place thousands of jobs at risk if a workable solution is not found.
Chatsworth SAPS was approached for comment on the allegations and concerns but had not responded by the time of print.
