Frustration over high unemployment has boiled over in Mandeni on KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast, with residents accusing companies in the nearby Isithebe Industrial Estate of preferring foreign nationals over locals despite the area’s proximity to one of the province’s largest industrial zones.
The Labour and Civic Organisation (LACO) led a march to several firms in the industrial estate, where protesters demanded that companies prioritise employment for local communities. Organisers and participants claimed that persistent joblessness among residents is fuelling crime and deepening poverty in surrounding areas.
The march followed recent joint inspections by the departments of Employment and Labour and Home Affairs at factories in the area, which were conducted amid growing concerns over labour practices and the employment of undocumented workers.
Community members who joined the protest said many have been applying for work at factories in the industrial hub for years without success. Some who had previously worked in the factories alleged that certain employees are being paid far below the minimum wage.
One former worker told the gathering: “I have worked in several of these factories. In 2004 I was paid 654 rand. I know all the machinery in the textile industry. And recently when I went to look for a job they offered to pay me 750 rand a week. Tell me how am I going to survive? I still need to provide for my child and grandchildren.”
Another resident said: “I’ve been looking for a job in all these factories for the past six years and I’ve never been successful. I need a job. That is why I am here because a lot of young people in this area are unemployed and yet they are hiring foreign nationals over us.”
LACO alleged that the problem is widespread, claiming many factories in the area are employing foreign nationals in non-scarce skills positions.
A spokesperson for the organisation, identified in the coverage as Mthobisi Shinga, said government departments responsible for oversight are slow to act. “We know Home Affairs, Department of Labour and all these departments that are supposed to be doing this work, they drag their feet. They take a lot of time and then these convictions of showing that uh rather these people don’t have documentation, it takes a much more longer time,” the spokesperson said.
The organisation stressed that its concerns extend beyond any specific nationality. “So when we speak of foreigners, we are not only speaking about our African brothers and sisters. We are speaking about anyone who’s in South Africa without proper documentation. Counting your Chinese, counting even white people who don’t have those documents.”
Shinga called on authorities to intervene urgently to ensure companies prioritise local employment and comply with labour regulations.
The protest highlights ongoing tensions in Mandeni, where residents live alongside a major industrial estate yet report limited access to the jobs it generates. No immediate response from the affected companies or government departments was detailed in the coverage of the march.