BL Premium reports that the government is proceeding with the formulation of a controversial policy to govern the employment of foreign workers, especially in low-skill jobs, to give priority to South Africans.

Employment & Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi told MPs on Friday that a national employment policy with a sub-theme of a labour migration policy was being developed in conjunction with the Department of Home Affairs and would be ready for submission to cabinet soon. Nxesi said: “The [labour migration] policy talks to the issue of recruitment from outside the country especially when you talk about low-skilled jobs. We must expect a big debate on this one. What we will not do is to run away from our responsibility to protect our citizens.” He added that with the unemployment rate especially among youth sitting where it was, “there was no way that the government could not intervene. What is very clear is that it can’t be that at low level skill areas you take all foreigners or foreign nationals at the expense of the South Africans and disrespecting the labour laws.” Different options were being looked at including quotas, but Nxesi said the policy would not be a one-size fits all one. Each and every sector would be looked at differently. He advised that an inter-ministerial committee had been set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa to do the work. Nxesi also claimed that employers deliberately preferred foreign workers because they were cheap labour — “they are ready to take anything” — and neglected South Africans.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (paywall access only)

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