A proposed amendment to South Africa’s employment laws could see ordinary households hit with fines of up to R100,000 for employing undocumented foreign nationals as domestic workers, gardeners or caregivers.

Government says the move is necessary to enforce immigration laws and ensure that South Africans are prioritised in the labour market. But critics argue that many households may not fully understand the complexities of immigration documentation and that the policy risks punishing families while doing little to address the deeper failures of the country’s immigration system.

As Parliament considers the Employment Services Amendment Bill, the question is whether these tough penalties are a necessary deterrent or an unfair burden on ordinary South Africans. ACMS senior researcher and co-director, Associate Professor Jo Vearey, discusses this matter with MetroFM’s Faith Mangope. Catch their full conversation below:

[This interview was initially broadcast on the MetroFM Talk with Faith Mangope radio show on 15 June 2026.]