Sunday World reports that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is discussing radical policies that will significantly curtail the employment of foreign nationals in the country by compelling companies to limit such employment to 20% to 30%.
The emotive immigration issue is shaping up to be one of the divisive issues dominating public discourse as the governing ANC gears up for the crucial December national conference and the 2024 elections. Cosatu’s policy position is being sponsored by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which wants a new law promulgated to introduce a quota on employment of foreign nationals. Other radical changes the union is pushing for include imposing hefty fines on companies that hire immigrants who do not have scarce skills. This resolution on the employment of foreign nationals is one of the key policy changes that the federation wants to realise as it gears up for its 14th conference to be held at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand from 26 to 29 September. The NUM recommends that the discussion over the hiring of foreign nationals should be conducted by Cosatu through the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). The proposal comes as tensions between locals and foreign nationals over jobs and healthcare have reached boiling point. On Thursday, police had to use a stun grenade to separate EFF and Operation Dudula members, who clashed outside the Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville, over differences on illegal foreign immigration. For two weeks Dudula members had been camping at the hospital, blocking foreign nationals from accessing the facility. This came on the heels of a video that went viral in which Limpopo MEC for health Phophi Ramathuba was filmed berating an apparent illegal Zimbabwean national for seeking medical treatment at a local Bela-Bela medical facility.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by George Matlala on page 6 of Sunday World of 4 September 2022
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page