Over 6000 Foreigners Employed As Public Servants in SA, Mzansi Doesn’t Mind

• The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) revealed that the government employs over 6000 foreign nationals
• The department responded to a question asked in Parliament and revealed that the number represents 0.5% of all public servants
• South Africans had different views, with some believing that there is no problem with them having jobs in governments and others speaking against it

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG—The government employs over 6,000 foreign nationals in the public sector, as the Department of Public Service and Administration revealed in Parliament.

Government employs 6220 foreign nationals

IOL said the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mzamo Buthelezi, received a question from ActionSA MP Dr4 Tebogo Letlape. Letlape asked him how many foreign nationals were employed in government.

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Buthelezi revealed that 6220 foreign nationals were employed in provincial and national departments. This number comprises 0.5% of the government's workforce, including temporary and permanent employees. Gauteng has the highest number of foreign nationals employed in government, with 1705 workers.

South Africans don't mind

Netizens commenting on the statistics on Facebook were on two different sides of the spectrum. Most of them saw no issue with the number of foreign nationals employed.

Sibusiso Gambushe Ndlovu said:

"Most of them are from Europe. They are specialists."

Rosemary Sekhota said:

"As long as those foreigners here are legal and have work permits."

Adorn Keketso said:

"In South Africa we don't have a problem of legal foreigners working in the country."

Salongok Mkulu said:

"It's not bad, as long as they are providing the much-needed services to the citizens."

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Enos Makhaza Makhaza said:

"We don't have skills. I don't blame foreigners."

Unemployment rate increases to 33.5%

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Statistics South Africa revealed that the unemployment rate went up.

The rate increased from 32.9% to 33.5%, and South Africans were dismayed that more people were becoming unemployed.

Source: Briefly News