SA Demands Jobs After Joburg Mayor Considers Hiring Foreigners as Cops: “Hire Our Children Now”
- Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero caused an uproar by suggesting foreign nationals could be employed by the Metro Police Department
- Soweto residents are marching to the mayor's office to hand over their CVs following his comments about employment at the department
- The Institute for Security Studies' Gareth Newham has backed Morero's proposal, adding that many misunderstood what the mayor meant
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues.
GAUTENG - Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero’s recent comments have inadvertently given residents hope of employment at the Metro Police Department (JMPD). Morero courted controversy over the weekend when he suggested that documented foreign nationals could be hired as metro police officers.
Source: Getty Images
As noted by Sowetan LIVE, Morero was caught on camera saying that hiring migrants could help in cases where there is a language barrier.
"None of our law enforcement officials can speak any of the foreign African languages. The challenge is for us to deal with crime, and you can have all the suspects here before they write their statements, and they can plan what they will say in front of you without you understanding what they are saying."
The mayor has since apologised for the reaction caused by his comments.
Soweto residents march to mayor’s office
Morero’s comments not only caused a bit of an uproar but also gave many residents false hope that they, too, could be employed.
Soweto residents started gathering early in the morning as they prepared to march to the mayor’s office to hand in their CVs.
One resident even praised the new mayor, saying that he was the only mayor who admitted there were employment opportunities in his departments.
Residents who did gather outside the offices were greeted by the mayor's chief of staff, Tsumbo Nephawe, who promised a reply within 14 days.
Expert backs Morero’s comment
While many South Africans were taken aback by the idea, Gareth Newham from the Institute for Security Studies backed the proposal.
Speaking to eNCA, Newham said that it could enhance the unit’s ability to fight crime and that Morero was ‘misunderstood.’
“The suggestion that it is done in South Africa is not out of touch or out of sync with what is best practised internationally,” he said.
He also added that people misunderstood the comments to mean that there were jobs available.
Calls made for mayor to hire locals
While the Johannesburg mayor did retract the comment and apologise for it, social media users were less eager to forgive and forget.
@tony42code was straight to the point when he said:
“Hire our South African Children Now!”
@CMbhalai backed him up by saying:
“This is also how I understood the Mayor’s statement. He must hire our kids now.”
@eyevusi didn’t mince their words with their comment:
“Dada has 2 choices; Give us Jobs or Resign.”
@KGloria35440 added:
“Well done🙌 clearly there are job opportunities in the department, he must hire them.”
@BlosoNketsi agreed when he said:
“Dada must hire these kids. The fact that he was considering hiring foreign nationals means that there are vacancies."
Panyaza Lesufi, Gayton McKenzie slam Morero’s comments
Briefly News also reported that Morero’s comments about the JMPD didn’t sit well with his fellow politicians.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi were both critical of his words.
Morero sparked outrage when he suggested that the department could hire documented foreign nationals.
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Source: Briefly News
