By Daniel Itai, Harare Zimbabwe.
(News of The South) – According to Mike Schussler, a South African economist, more than one million jobs will be lost in South Africa by the time the country lifts it’s nationwide lockdown which will see more than 15 million South Africans unemployed.
To try and reserve the country’s job sector Minister Thembelani Thulas Nxesi, who is the Minister of Employment and Labour said post the COVID-19 pandemic, employment opportunities will now be largely reserved for South Africans and a quota system would have to be established.
With the country still on a nationwide lockdown many migrants have been put in limbo. Sectors such as restaurants and beauty saloons still remain closed with only a little bit of leeway to operate.
These two sectors are where most migrants work and with already Minister Nxesi signalling labour and employment changes many are likely going to find themselves without the means of earning an income.
Regardless of Minister Nxesi’s intended amendments chairperson of the African Diaspora Forum, Dr. Vusumuzi Sibanda said he was not moved by the intended labour and employment changes, “the quota system and prevention of migrants has always been in existence including lines of failure to oblige but still migrants are employed nonetheless. It will not be different because the Minister does not go to the depth of the causative reasons for the employment of the migrants and the impact of migrant labour. This can only fuel xenophobic tendencies and the exploitation of migrants but it will not resolve South Africa’s labout market problems.”
Zimbabwe LEAD president Linda Masarira also concurred with Dr.Sibanda, “South Africa to whom a lot has been given, definitely a lot more is expected. Just like in any given country movement towards the capital is higher than anywhere so is the case with South Africa. Over the years South Africa has become the powerhouse of southern Africa with most of the block’s economic activities headquartered there. It is therefore a serious injustice to pay a blind eye to the fact that South Africa is were it is right now because of everyone.
For example, Zimbabwe’s platinum mining benefits South Africa more than the parent country which makes South Africa an “Eldorado-the land of gold” for most Zimbabweans seeking greener pastures. However, to manage the fight for resources the South African government must start considering paying back to those that promoted her rise.
More so, fellow African leaders must take a serious initiative to put their houses in order by improving the social, economic and political standards of living of their citizens.”
However, MDC Alliance’s Youth national spokesperson, Stephen Chuma said African countries needed to sort out their status quo, “we need to change our governance culture and focus on pro-poor developmental agenda. African countries need to rethink their ways especially the conduct on elections and how we exploit our vast mineral resources. No more should we have a few elite cabal benefiting from national mineral wealth and land at the expense of the masses.”
Iphithule Maphosa, ZAPU’s spokesperson also shared the same sentimens as Chuma alluded citing that African countries should do away with regressive regimes, “countries with citizens being hosted by South Africa have two things in common, gross human rights violations and poor performing economies, with some in comatose. The only remedy to this immigration crisis is to respect, promote and protect peoples rights in all countries right across the continent.
Those countries with strong institutions must assist the rest to build sound governance systems and institutions. Where necessary, as in the case of South Africa, pressure must be applied on regimes that are oppressing and violating rights of people to reform or even transform their governance systems, institutions and policies into people friendly, progressive and pro-development ones.”
Today South Africa moved to lockdown alert level three which will see at least eight million people going back to work.
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