Over 30 undocumented foreign nationals arrested in Pietermaritzburg
Updated Aug. 6, 2026, 1:22 p.m. | By Nhlanhla Mabaso More than 30 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested during a multidisciplinary compliance…
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Updated Aug. 6, 2026, 1:22 p.m. | By Nhlanhla Mabaso
More than 30 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested during a multidisciplinary compliance operation in Pietermaritzburg. Police, labour inspectors and municipal law enforcement officers also shut down several businesses found to be violating labour and trading regulations.
Several undocumented foreign nationals have been detained during a multidisciplinary operation in Pietermaritzburg.
Most of them are business owners.
Police, Umsunduzi Municipality law enforcement officers, private security and labour inspectors targeted businesses in the provincial capital this morning.
The operation was mainly to check compliance.
[WATCH] @SAPoliceService KwaZulu-Natal is tackling the issue of undocumented persons in the capital city Pietermaritzberg this morning. The unannounced operations are taking place in parts of the city targeting businesses and other well known hotspots. @ECRNewswatch pic.twitter.com/oJJHUzpDSY— Nhlanhla Mabaso (@NMabaso) August 6, 2026
[WATCH] @SAPoliceService KwaZulu-Natal is tackling the issue of undocumented persons in the capital city Pietermaritzberg this morning. The unannounced operations are taking place in parts of the city targeting businesses and other well known hotspots. @ECRNewswatch pic.twitter.com/oJJHUzpDSY
During the raids, over 30 foreign nationals, who could not produce legal documents, were arrested.
They will be processed by Home Affairs.
Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda says they want law and order to be maintained.
“We are doing so to ensure that we clean our streets, clean our country. We are looking for drugs, second-hand goods which are not sold properly and thus far we have arrested over 30 people who are in the country illegally.”
A number of shops found flouting regulations and failing to comply with labour laws have been shut.
Meanwhile, police in Greytown are questioning at least 80 people detained after an anti-illegal immigrant march turned violent in Kranskop on Wednesday.
KwaZulu-Natal SAPS says demonstrators allegedly looted shops and assaulted three foreign nationals. Two of the victims are receiving medical treatment, while a third is still being traced.
Police intercepted a bus carrying around 80 people on the R74 and escorted them to a local police station for questioning.
Preliminary investigations indicate the injured migrants are in South Africa legally, although their immigration status will still be verified by Home Affairs.
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