Labour federations reject migrant scapegoating, demand economic reform

Organised labour has condemned the attacks on African migrants around the country by groups like March and March, Operation Dudula and some political parties. Speaking at a media briefing convened through the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on Wednesday, the four labour federations described the attacks as scapegoating for the economic crisis that the country finds itself in.

In a joint statement, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) said that even if migrants were deported, the issues facing ordinary people would not go away.

“Migrants must not be made scapegoats for failures they did not create. Removing foreign nationals from workplaces, communities or public spaces will not reopen factories, repair municipalities, strengthen public healthcare or create sustainable jobs. The frustrations of local communities must be addressed by fixing the economy, creating decent work and rebuilding the state. South Africa’s economic crisis was not created by migrants. It is rooted in economic stagnation, deindustrialisation, mass unemployment, corruption, austerity, weak governance, and the failure to build an economy that serves the majority,” reads the statement.

The federations said the attacks on African migrants are dividing the working class and “redirect legitimate anger away from the real causes of poverty, unemployment, inequality and collapsing public services”. They also warned that South Africa’s international standing is being tarnished by the portrayal of South Africa as a “nation consumed by xenophobia and prone to barbaric acts of black-on-black violence”.

Only the government is authorised to enforce immigration, labour and criminal laws, they reminded. “At the same time, organised labour is firmly opposed to the unlawful employment of undocumented migrants. Employers who knowingly hire vulnerable workers to pay lower wages, evade labour laws, avoid collective agreements and weaken collective bargaining are central to this crisis,” the labour federations said.

A man is attacked with a sjambok at an anti-immigrant March and March protest in Jeppestown in April. Photo: Ihsaan Haffejee/GroundUp

Eddie Thobejane, the deputy general secretary of Nactu said that the government should deal with employers who employ undocumented migrants. According to Thobejane, some of the labour federation’s affiliates like Mewusa (Metal and Electrical Workers Union of SA), Bcawu (Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union) and Hotellica (Hotel, Liquor and Catering Trade Workers’ Union) do organise migrant workers from the continent.

Speaking to Elitsha, Cosatu first deputy president, Mike Shingange said migrant workers have historically contributed to the country’s economic development and continue to play a significant role in key sectors including mining, agriculture, retail, hospitality and transport.

Shingange highlighted the contribution of migrant workers to the labour movement itself, recalling that several prominent trade union leaders, including former leaders of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), originated from neighbouring countries and helped build strong worker organisations in South Africa.

Cosatu has repeatedly called for the labour inspectorate to be adequately resourced and empowered to ensure compliance with labour laws, particularly to curb the exploitation of undocumented or vulnerable workers. “Migrant workers remain part of the working class and part of the labour movement,” he said, adding that unity among workers is critical to advancing decent work and protecting labour rights in South Africa.

Saftu general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi defended the role of migrant workers in South Africa’s labour movement, arguing that organised labour has always united workers across national borders and warning against efforts to divide the working class. “As soon as they enter the workplace, they are workers,” Vavi said. “They face the same exploitation and the same pressures from employers who seek to maximise profits, regardless of whether a worker is South African or a migrant.”

Vavi highlighted the role played by migrant workers and leaders in building NUM into one of South Africa’s most influential trade unions. He pointed to NUM’s founding president, James Motlatsi, who was born in Lesotho and went on to become one of the most respected figures in the country’s labour movement.

Labour inspectors – too few, ineffective and corruptible

A central concern raised by organised labour was the shortage of labour inspectors responsible for monitoring compliance with workplace legislation. South Africa’s major labour federations have warned that years of austerity-driven budget cuts, staffing shortages and rising vacancies are steadily eroding the capacity of key state institutions, weakening labour law enforcement and contributing to growing public frustration over unemployment, migration and declining public services.

Unemployed workers queuing outside Orchard Primary School in Sandhills in the Boland region of the Western Cape to submit UIF applications. Archive photo by Mzi Velapi

Shingange said the government had only recently committed to increasing the number of inspectors after labour had for years called for stronger enforcement of labour laws.

Fedusa deputy general secretary, Ashley Benjamin said the government’s plans to recruit inspector interns had yet to translate into meaningful capacity on the ground. “Our understanding is that only around 3,500 of the proposed 20,000 inspector interns have been appointed, mostly on two-year contracts. The challenge is not only conducting inspections but ensuring enforcement. Compliance orders and fines must have consequences if they are to serve as a deterrent,” he said.

Benjamin added that workers frequently raise concerns about corruption within inspection processes, a problem he said further weakens confidence in labour law enforcement and reduces the effectiveness of regulatory intervention