Employ South Africans over foreigners: The Finance Minister of South Africa Tito Mboweni has said the post lockdown labour market in South Africa will prioritise locals.
Tito Mboweni said, “South Africa must have a new labour policy which prioritises South Africans. But does not discriminate against Zimbabweans or Malawians but the proportion of South Africans working in a restaurant must be greater than that of non South Africans. That’s a new economy we are talking about. In the agricultural sector similarly. People who want to approach banks or government for funding must demonstrate that they have an employment policy that favours South Africans.”
“ When I returned from exile in 1990, 8 out 10 workers at restaurants were South Africans . Today almost 100% of restaurants workers are non -South Africans . The new economy post – lockdown must answer that question and establishments must have new labor market policies when the economy reopens “ South Africa Finance Minister Tito Mboweni .
Commentary for foreigners
Employ South Africans over foreigners will be the new motto in South Africa after lockdown. The utterances by Mboweni got foreigners thinking. If one contextualizes globally, one would realize that the economy is at the crux of what controls immigration . Naturally, an economy with surplus jobs, advanced technology will attract more immigrants. Immigration follows the demand and supply curve of the economy. Prior to the global encroachment of the wrath of Covid-19, South Africa’s economy was following an unfavorable trajectory . Covid-19 has worsened the situation .
Globally, many people are going to succumb to the malady of Covid-19. Furthermore, the financial implications are going to be humongous! The sad reality is that governments are elected to protect citizens first. Foreigners feel their step dad , from next door is telling them that he is no longer able to even feed his own children . If he tells them to go back to their own father, should they be angry at him or at their own father who can’t feed them ?It’s not his responsibility to feed them, he can do it philanthropically; but not as his responsibility.
Foreigners have arrived at an intersection of death and survival. Their situation behooves them to do an introspection. As much as the remarks uttered by Mboweni are inconsiderate, they are logically sound for the South Africans, under these circumstances. Metaphorically, South African is not their biological father .
The people should be livid( mad) at the government not their step dad ( South Africa government). Foreigners have to demand accountability from our government.
I hate to be the harbinger of bad news . But it’s imperative to deliver the unadulterated truth ; rather than do political correctness at the expense of logic!