'We are nothing without foreigners; our men are lazy' – South African workers protest xenophobic crackdown
Factory workers in South Africa have staged protests against the ongoing xenophobic crackdown on foreign nationals, arguing that the campaign is harming businesses and threatening jobs across several sectors of the economy.
The demonstrations come amid reports that many immigrants, including Ghanaians, have been forced to leave the country following a series of attacks and actions targeting foreign nationals.
The protesting workers maintained that foreign nationals play a vital role in South Africa’s economy, serving as employers, investors, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals whose contributions support thousands of livelihoods.
According to them, the departure of many immigrants is already having a negative impact on economic activity, with some businesses struggling to operate due to the loss of experienced personnel and technical expertise.
The workers took to the streets to register their opposition to the anti-immigrant campaign and appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa to take urgent steps to restore confidence among foreign nationals and encourage those who have left to return.
They warned that continued hostility towards immigrants could further weaken industries that depend heavily on their skills and knowledge, particularly the manufacturing and garment sectors.
One protester stressed that South Africans have benefited significantly from working alongside foreign nationals, many of whom have helped transfer specialised skills to local workers.
“We say no to xenophobia. We need foreigners back. Without foreigners, we are nothing. All we know as South Africans is how to cut fabric, but the foreigners know how to make the garments. Without them, we are nothing,” she said.
She further appealed to President Ramaphosa to reconsider policies and actions that have contributed to the departure of foreign nationals.
“Mr. Ramaphosa, you cannot chase foreigners away because they are part of us. If you send them away, we will be left with nothing. The factories are going to close, and we are going to become poorer. We have children, and what are our children going to eat? We need foreigners,” she added.
The protest follows rising tensions linked to an anti-immigrant campaign led by Jacinta and her supporters, who accuse foreign nationals of taking jobs from South Africans and have called for their removal from the country.
Meanwhile, the worsening situation has prompted the Ghanaian government to evacuate more than 1,000 Ghanaian citizens from South Africa as authorities continue efforts to ensure their safety and welfare.