Employment and Labor Minister Nomakhosazana Methe says the government is strengthening labor market enforcement and labor migration reforms to ensure South Africans are prioritized for employment opportunities, while maintaining a lawful and fair migration system.
Speaking during the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Deep Dive media engagement, Meth said the government's labor market reforms are aimed at addressing high unemployment levels and tackling unlawful employment practices.
“These reforms aim to strengthen labor market governance, improve regulation of employment services, (and) protect labor standards,” he said.
Reforms include the implementation of the National Labor Migration Policy and the Employment Services Amendment Bill, which seeks to strengthen the enforcement powers available to labor inspectors.
Meth said these measures are designed to strike a balance between protecting opportunities for South Africans and meeting the economy's demand for scarce and critical skills.
“They want to strike an appropriate balance between protecting employment opportunities for South Africans and meeting the economy's demand for critical skills,” he said.
The main focus of the reforms is to strengthen enforcement against the employment of undocumented foreign nationals.
“It is important for employers to deliberately use ESSA (Employment Services South Africa) to recruit South Africans, and follow the law to give priority to South Africans and to employ people from other countries who are legally resident in South Africa,” the minister said.
Meth rejected claims that South Africans are unwilling to work, arguing that the real challenge is the lack of employment opportunities.
“We must strongly reject the narrative that South Africans are unwilling to work.
“Millions of South Africans wake up every day looking for work, eager to contribute their skills, earn a living and support their families,” the minister said.
Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya echoed the same sentiment, saying employers should stop favoring undocumented foreign nationals.
“It's not that South Africans don't want to work, we have to stop this perception,” he said.
Sibiya warned that there were going to be tough penalties for employers who violate labor and immigration laws.
He said, “Our penalties for non-compliant employers are going to be more stringent in the future. Non-compliance is very costly. You cannot give priority to illegal immigrants because you want to exploit them.”
According to the department, the Employment Services Amendment Bill will introduce stronger enforcement mechanisms and impose fines of up to R100 000 for non-compliance.
The deputy minister said inspections have already revealed widespread violations in sectors such as hospitality and construction.
“We are working on a large scale in the field of construction,” he said.
He revealed that labor inspections had recently identified 79 undocumented foreign nationals at a single construction site in the Western Cape.
“We are working on them extensively, but we are also going to engage with the construction sector, as we are doing with hospitality,” Sibiya said.
At the same time, the government says it is committed to ensuring that labor migration is managed in a lawful and developmental manner.
Acting Deputy Director-General Thembinkosi Makalipi explained that the National Labor Migration Policy does not exclude the informal sector and is part of a broader package of reforms being implemented across the government.
He said the government is also working with companies operating in platforms and delivery services to improve opportunities for South Africans.
Makalipi pointed to partnerships with delivery and e-hailing companies that have resulted in more employment opportunities for local workers.
“The minister talked about the perception that South Africans don't like certain jobs, which is not true,” Makalipi said.
Labor migration reform is part of the government's broader strategy to improve labor market governance while addressing unemployment and protecting labor standards.
Meth said the government aims to create a labor market that is fair, orderly and supportive of inclusive economic growth.
“Collectively, these measures will contribute to a more orderly, equitable and effective labor market that protects workers, supports employers and drives inclusive economic growth.” – SAnews.gov.za