Durban CBD operation leads to arrests of 23 undocumented foreign nationals, Zimbabweans included

IOL

More than 20 foreign nationals were arrested and five non-compliant retail outlets were shut in the Durban CBD on earlier this week.

In a coordinated operation involving the Durban Metro Police Service, Municipal Business Support, the Department of Home Affairs and several government agencies, 23 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested.

The high-impact multidisciplinary operation targeted businesses along Dr Pixley KaSeme and Anton Lembede streets as part of ongoing efforts to enforce immigration laws, improve public safety and restore order in key trading areas within the city.

Protas Mngonyama, ward 32 councillor, who has led initiatives to rejuvenate the once crime-ridden Albert Park precinct, accompanied officials during the operation.

Metro Police spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu said: “We’ve heard and are responding to the ongoing concerns of the mushrooming of illegal retail outlets, illegal and undocumented, prostitution and the sale of illegal narcotics in and around the City.”

Officials from the Department of Home Affairs detained 32 individuals for immigration status verification. Following the verification process, 23 undocumented foreign nationals aged between 21 and 54 were confirmed to be unlawfully in the country and were subsequently arrested in terms of the Immigration Act.

Those arrested included nationals from Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and China.

Zungu confirmed that five retail outlets were shut down for failing to comply with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements.

Municipal officials reaffirmed the City’s commitment to continuing multidisciplinary operations to uphold the law, improve safety and create a cleaner and more secure environment for residents, businesses and visitors in the Durban CBD.