Julius Malema on Foreigners
TL;DR
Julius Malema argues foreign nationals should be welcome but businesses must prioritize local employment.
Key Points
He conceded in January 2022 that restaurants at Mall of Africa were hiring a near 50/50 ratio or majority of locals after initial allegations.
Malema stated that employers who hire foreign nationals and then claim they are taking local jobs are the ones dividing Africans.
He affirmed that businesses should not stop employing Zimbabweans or other African nationals but must remain conscious of giving preference to locals.
Summary
Julius Malema expresses a nuanced stance regarding foreign nationals, often emphasizing that Africans should not be driven out of South Africa, viewing this as a shared continental home. He has consistently maintained that employers are the primary instigators of xenophobic tensions by allegedly using the narrative that foreigners are taking local jobs to divide Africans. The leader insisted that businesses cannot exclude South Africans entirely from employment, suggesting a balance where locals must be given preference while acknowledging the need to allow other Africans to work there.
His position has involved direct action, such as confronting restaurant management over employment ratios, which resulted in him conceding that initial suspicions about discriminatory hiring were sometimes proven wrong following meetings. While asserting that Africans should work together, he clarified that this unity must be demonstrated through actions like equal pay and treatment, maintaining that South African unemployment is a separate, though related, crisis requiring local employment solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Julius Malema's main stance is that African nationals should not be chased out of South Africa, viewing the continent as a shared home. However, he strongly insists that local South African citizens must be given preference in employment by all businesses operating in the country.
His position has appeared nuanced or evolving, particularly regarding specific business practices. After confronting restaurant management over hiring figures, Julius Malema conceded that his initial suspicions about widespread foreign national preference were sometimes incorrect. He maintains the core issue is employers creating division, not the presence of African workers themselves.
He stated that employers are the ones cultivating tensions between foreigners and locals by using the excuse that foreigners are taking jobs to divide citizens. Julius Malema argued that unity amongst Africans must be shown through actions like equal pay, not just rhetoric.
Sources7
Julius Malema's Shift on Foreigners in South Africa
South African Politician Julius Malema Reacts to U.S. Visa ...
Malema Sides with Foreigners in South Africa
Malema concedes there is nothing untoward about Mall of Africa restaurants` hiring policies
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.