Banning foreigners is scapegoating that goes against ubuntu, says Maimane

Mmusi Maimane’s One South Africa Movement (OSA) has proposed six job creation options that do not require bans on foreigners, but activists and experts say although SA has the capacity to create sustainable jobs, the main problem was implementing policies which would ensure quality jobs.

#PutSouthAfricansFirst activist Tshidiso Rantsa said OSA’s six job creation options were not realistic and shied away from seeming xenophobic, but there was a need to prioritise entry-level jobs for South Africans.

Maimane said there had been a systemic failure to create jobs through inclusive economic growth and a modernised basic education system.

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He said it should be stated unequivocally that banning foreigners, particularly fellow Africans living in the country, from certain jobs was scapegoating, while pitting poor and unemployed South Africans against foreigners was a cheap political tool that flew in the face of ubuntu.

“We reject any such ban. Rather, an implementable plan to create new jobs and new skills is required,” he added.

However Rantsa said regarding efforts to alleviate unemployment in SA the government was always good on paper but then it failed in terms of implementing legislation.

“SA has the capacity to create legitimate sustainable jobs, and decrease the unemployment numbers in the country, but as long as they continue to fail in implementing their theories and philosophies they will forever fail the country,” he said

“Many jobs were not created to benefit South Africans first, because many employers would rather hire foreigners because they can easily exploit them, and then call us lazy.”

Economic analyst Azar Jammine said the government had a lot of projects that could create jobs, but that they had not implemented those projects.

He also said there were many factors at play making jobs unsustainable in SA, such as minimum wage legislation, which prevented many people from wanting to employ on a permanent basis.

“SA has infrastructural investment projects that have not been forthcoming. There are many government programmes that could create a lot of jobs,” Jammine said.

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