Vereeniging Factory Exposed For R400k UIF Debt As Inspectors Find Secret Escape Tunnel

A factory in Vereeniging is under scrutiny after labour inspectors uncovered an underground tunnel allegedly used by undocumented foreign nationals to flee during raids.

The tunnel was discovered on Tuesday at Vientiane PVC Ceilings and Pipes, where authorities were conducting a compliance inspection.

Officials believe a large group of employees fled into the tunnel moments after law enforcement arrived.

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Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya, led the operation, which focused on allegations that the company was using cheap labour while failing to meet statutory obligations.

According to the Department of Employment and Labour, the business owes more than R400,000 in Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) contributions. Although its annual return of earnings should total around R3 million, the company reportedly declared only R140,000.

Tunnel Discovery At Vereeniging Factory Raises Alarm Over Worker Abuse

During the inspection, several teams reported that most of the workforce had vanished through the underground tunnel. Inspectors said the behaviour appeared to be part of a pattern aimed at evading accountability.

One inspector stated, “When I came here, they did the same thing. They told half the employees not to come here, and then the foreign nationals did not come to work, it was only around 18 employees here.”

Authorities say the tunnel’s existence warrants immediate intervention from provincial police services.

UIF Debt Sparks Further Investigation

The Department indicated that the discrepancies in the company’s UIF contributions and earnings submissions will form part of a broader investigation.

The discovery of the tunnel has intensified concerns that employees—many believed to be undocumented—may have been working under exploitative conditions.

Fire and rescue teams were called in to assist with examining the tunnel’s structure and determining how it may have been used to avoid labour inspections. Further enforcement action is expected.

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