South African landlords face arrest for housing illegal immigrants

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has warned landlords that they could face arrest for renting properties to undocumented foreign nationals. According to Eye Witness News, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli made the call during a crime-fighting community imbizo held in Mzingazi in northern KZN, where thousands of community members gathered to discuss ideas to tackle crime on Wednesday. The premier was speaking following remarks by traditional leaders that rented cottages often become a haven for criminals who are never accounted for when they commit a crime.

Ntuli said the practice must change and is cautioning landlords to take responsibility for who they rent to. "Everyone who owns cottages, your tenants must first produce IDs before you grant them permission to live there. Community members, may you please report to the police if there are landlords harbouring illegal foreigners so that police can arrest both that person and the landlord." Ntuli said community cooperation is key to stamping out crime, and that enforcing immigration laws at the household level will help close gaps exploited by criminal elements. by Linda Ikeji at 09/07/2026 4:34 PM | Share this Story