PASSOP is extremely concerned over the mass dismissals of immigrants by private security companies across South Africa
Press Statement - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 17 April 2011
The growing number of immigrant workers being dismissed by private security companies is extremely concerning. It appears that there is a countrywide government clampdown on companies employing foreigners in the security sector. As a result of this clampdown companies who willingly employed immigrants are unfairly and illegally dismissing those same workers. Over the last few weeks we have recorded cases in which foreigners at security companies have lost their jobs en masse. These dismissals were made in violation of labour law procedures.
The reason given by companies to their workers (including many who have been employed for several years) is that it is illegal for security companies to employ anyone who is not registered by the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) in terms of Section 23 of the Private Security Regulatory Act. It is alleged that PSIRA has recently started clamping down and refusing to register foreigners. In some cases it was alleged that PSIRA revoked permits they had already provided to foreigners. If this is correct, thousands of foreign security workers across South Africa are now losing their jobs.
PASSOP feels that such blatant discrimination based on nationality is unacceptable. We feel that it not only increases the vulnerability of foreigners to unfair labour practices but that it can also easily lead to the resurfacing of tensions between South Africans and foreigners.
The potentially significant effect of such prejudice was disturbingly exposed on Wednesday April 6th in (the Cape Town suburb of) Muizenberg when a Congolese security guard, who had been dismissed as a result of this new clamp down, shot and killed his former employer, before committing suicide. This tragedy is a sad result of an irrational human response by a desperate person to an irrational situation. He had clearly suffered huge personal pain and our thoughts are with both their families.
We firmly believe that the human rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa are to be enjoyed by all who are in this vibrant country. Everyone, including refugees, asylum seekers and people who have applied for permits under the recent Zimbabwean Dispensation Project, should have the right to work and the right to fair labour practices. In this context, we see the massive dismissal of foreigners who are employed by private security companies as intolerable. We encourage government efforts towards job creation, but stress that jobs are not created by dismissing non-South African workers.
For comment from PASSOP please contact: Alex de Cormamond - 072 697 4393, Langton Miriyoga - 084 026 9658, or Braam Hanekom - 084 319 1764
