The Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO) says it is dealing with a surge in complaints from undocumented migrant workers who claim they have been unfairly dismissed, threatened, or denied their labour rights amid growing anti-immigration sentiment in workplaces across South Africa.
The organisation, which provides free legal assistance to vulnerable and precarious workers, says many migrant employees were instructed not to report for duty during recent anti-immigration marches. Others allegedly received dismissal notices, while some were left without wages or accommodation after losing their jobs.
According to the CWAO, it has recorded around 1,500 cases to date, with the majority involving workers employed on farms and at Chinese-owned businesses.
The organisation warns that the reports point to an escalating pattern of labour rights violations targeting undocumented migrant workers, raising concerns about exploitation, discrimination, and access to legal protection.
Sydney Moshoaliba, Education Coordinator and Researcher at the Casual Workers Advice Office, spoke to VOC News to unpack the issue further.
Photo: Community Arts Mobilisation Project (CAMP) & Visual Intifada
