ATM seeks to prohibit foreigners from certain jobs

Published May 24, 2020

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Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has presented a post-Covid-19 economic recovery plan that, if adopted, would see South Africans claiming back all the sectors that are perceived to be unfairly dominated by foreigners. 

In the plan which was sent to the Presidency and also shared with Independent Media, the party’s leader Vuyo Zungula, wants South Africa to follow countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ghana and enact laws that prohibit foreigners from taking part in certain economic activities.

At the heart of the seven-page proposal is what Zungula called “Putting South Africa First.” He said that patriotism should be at the centre of all future economic endeavours of the country.

“The ATM has the following concrete proposals to make under the theme of Put South Africa first: All businesses that are to open must comply with the South African labour laws which state non-citizens must (only) work on a scarce and critical skills basis. The government must not allow further non-compliance with the law in which companies that employ non-citizens for jobs that South Africans can do... In ensuring that fair and competitive principles are applied, entry-level jobs that are reserved for the unskilled/low skilled population of South Africa must be reserved strictly for South Africans,” Zungula wrote in the proposal.

Among the jobs that Zungula wants the country to legally reserve for South Africans are domestic work, gardening, security guarding, waitressing, petrol attending, car guarding, driving (Uber, Bolt, meter taxi drivers, truck drivers) and cleaning. 

“Companies must submit employment data to the Department of Labour and Employment, companies complying with the country’s labour laws must be given a permit to operate,” he proposed. 

That’s not all, Zungula and his party also want the South African business environment to be unapologetically patriotic and favour South Africans. 

“Non-citizens must partner with locals when doing business in the country for certain sectors of the economy.

"It is absurd, for an example, that a South African needs to partner with a Turkish national when doing business in Turkey and partner with a Saudi Arabian national when doing business in Saudi Arabia but citizens from those countries do not need to partner with a South African when doing business in South Africa. The government must pass a law similar to what other countries are doing to ring-fence the informal economy for South Africans.”

Political bureau

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