ActionSA Questions Government’s Employment of Over 6,000 Foreign Workers Amid High Unemployment

ActionSA has raised concerns over the South African government employing more than 6,220 foreign nationals in public service roles, despite the country’s ongoing struggle with high unemployment. The party, led by Herman Mashaba, has called for these jobs to be offered to unemployed South Africans instead.

This follows a parliamentary reply by Mzamo Buthelezi, Minister of Public Service and Administration, who revealed that foreign nationals are currently employed across various national and provincial departments. The question was posed by ActionSA MP Dr. Tebogo Letlape, who requested data on the number of foreign workers employed in public service.

According to Buthelezi, as of July 31, 2024, 6,220 foreign nationals are employed by the government, which accounts for 0.5% of the total public service workforce of 1.2 million. These workers include both temporary employees and those with permanent residence status.

Dr. Letlape expressed concern over the report and questioned the hiring criteria used. “We would like to know if they are long-term residents or if there are any potential problems,” Letlape said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika. He emphasized the importance of understanding whether South Africans are incapable of performing these roles, particularly in sectors like health and education, where the number of foreign workers is notably higher.

“The issue is that the country tends to hire people for positions in rural areas where South Africans are often unwilling to go, especially in healthcare,” Letlape added. He acknowledged that while this may be necessary in some cases, it’s vital to explore how these positions could be filled by unemployed citizens given the high jobless rate.

Letlape’s inquiry was sparked by recent comments from Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, who suggested employing foreign nationals in the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) to address language barriers. Letlape noted that this raised broader questions about the country’s stance on hiring foreign nationals: “Do we really know where we stand with regard to hiring foreign nationals?”

ActionSA has urged the government to clarify which essential skills are lacking among South African citizens that justify hiring foreign workers in the public sector.