63 arrested as Gigaba targets Spar for not hiring South Africans
The Spar retail group has come under fire from minister of public enterprises Malusi Gigaba for allegedly hiring undocumented foreign nationals, according to a report by Business Day.
Spar spokeswoman Stephanie Leclercq confirmed the arrest of 63 staff members, but noted that more than 40 have returned to work as they have been released after showing their valid documentation to the authorities.
“The retailer in question is in discussions with the department to establish a way forward in identifying if potential employees’ documentation is are valid or not,” said Leclercq.
Minister of public enterprises Malusi Gigaba has urged local businesses to employ South Africans first, following a week of violent xenophobia protests across Gauteng.
“I made it quite clear from the start of the meeting that we needed a very strong partnership with business, and that it was important to clarify issues and act accordingly even before we are pressurized by the public,” said Gigaba at the commencement of his “South African first” plan.
“As we have said, this carries potential to fuel perceptions that businesses exploit migrants to lower wages and conditions, while locals suffer in a sea of poverty and want. This does much further to undermine South Africa’s economic and developmental goals that we have outlined, as a nation, collaboratively, and consultatively, in the National Development Plan.”
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