150 Foreign Workers Detained in Pinetown Factory Raid

• Authorities raided a Pinetown textile factory over suspected illegal foreign nationals among its staff
• SAPS, Metro Police, private security, and officials from Home Affairs, Employment and Labour are conducting the operation
• Up to 150 workers are being taken to the police station to verify their documents, forming the majority of the factory’s workforce

KWAZULU- NATAL —A textile factory in Pinetown was raided today, 19 March 2026, as authorities investigated the presence of illegal foreign nationals among its workforce.

Reports say the operation was carried out jointly by the SAPS eThekwini District Economic Infrastructure Task Team, Pinetown SAPS, Metro Police, and private security partners.

According to eNCA, officials from the Departments of Employment and Labour and Home Affairs are also on site to verify documentation and check for compliance issues.

What happened during the raid?

Journalist Desan Thathiah, who was on the ground, said when officials arrived, some of the workers attempted to run away, but police were able to track them down.

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Reports indicate that as many as 150 foreign nationals are being transported to the local police station to determine whether their papers are in order. Early indications suggest that these workers make up the majority of the factory’s staff.

The raid forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with South African labour and immigration laws, with authorities emphasising the importance of legal employment practices in the region.

Another raid in Chatsworth

The raid in Pinetown follows inspections conducted on 18 March 2026 in Chatsworth, where police, Employment and Labour, and Home Affairs officials visited five factories. During the inspections, one factory was found to have employed 15 foreign nationals without proper documents, and the owner was detained. Colonel Robert Netshiunda stated that these actions aim to enforce compliance and protect job opportunities for South Africans, forming part of broader operations across KwaZulu-Natal.

South Africans react to the raids

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@maraporapo_10 said:

"Here in Gauteng, our leaders negotiate with illegal foreign nationals who break the law."

@ronrimmy stated:

"This factory wasn't benefiting South Africans. Close them down and lock the owner."

@Simon_Sithole20 commented:

"This is good news. KZN is way ahead of us all."

@DreamerSib wrote:

"Unemployment in SA is manufactured"

@SihleN83 asked:

"What will happen to the employer? A harsh punishment must be given to employers doing such."

Conditions inside factories

Briefly News spoke with journalist Zianne Leibrandt, who has been present at multiple raids of factories by the Department of Labour in Newcastle. She spoke on the conditions that are usually unveiled during the raid.

"Behind many factory doors, we have discovered workers who were never meant to be seen. Some are housed in on-site cramped makeshift dormitories to keep them close and invisible, many have been smuggled in from neighbouring countries, it really is shocking what goes on right under the government's nose."

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She further detailed how, sometimes, as soon as the inspectors show up, many run and hide or stay silent because they have been told to keep quiet.

"What is most troubling is how deliberate it all is and how there are rarely any long-term consequences for the owners. The exploitation is so deeply entrenched because of weak enforcement between inspectors, but also because people are desperate for work, especially foreign nationals, so they will endure any type of environment to survive."

Foreign workers found in Johannesburg store

In a related article, the Department of Labour conducted a similar raid on a Devland store in Johannesburg. The raid resulted in the arrests of fifteen illegal immigrants on 3 December 2025. The operation was part of a larger blitz initiative that involved collaboration between the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The manager of Krunch (Pty) Ltd was also arrested during the raid, along with immigrants from Malawi, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and India. He faced charges for violating South African immigration laws and related legislation.

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Five foreign nationals were arrested for producing illegal alcohol

In related news, five Malawian nationals were arrested after a surprise raid at an illegal business premises in Durban. An illegal liquor manufacturing operation was discovered, along with 2,000 litres of homemade gin. The arrests were carried out on Monday, 5 January 2026, by Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers after the City’s Public Emergency Call Centre received a tip-off from community members reporting suspicious activity at the property.

Briefly News reported that a dramatic joint inspection blitz at the Newcastle Industrial Park on 6 February 2026 saw Chinese-owned clothing factories shut their doors as authorities arrived, with some owners reportedly locking themselves inside their premises and others fleeing the scene. The multi-departmental operation uncovered dozens of undocumented workers living inside the textile factories, reigniting concerns about entrenched labour exploitation in the area.

Source: Briefly News