Herman Mashaba Slams Tertiary Institutions for Hiring Foreign Academics Over Locals
Prioritizing foreign academics undermines immigration laws and worsens youth unemployment, says Mashaba
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has strongly criticized South African tertiary institutions for appointing foreign academics over qualified local candidates. He described this practice as a “reckless disregard for immigration controls” that harms vulnerable South Africans affected by porous borders.
Mashaba’s comments come in response to statements by Deputy Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela, who appeared to support the continued hiring of foreign academics at South African universities and TVET colleges.
‘Employ locals in teaching institutions’ – Mashaba
During his tenure as Johannesburg mayor, Mashaba consistently opposed the influx of undocumented immigrants while welcoming those in the country legally. His stance drew accusations of xenophobia from some ANC members and government leaders.
“The consequences of poor immigration control have escalated,” Mashaba stated. “Higher employment levels are threatened by unfair competition and foreign dominance in critical sectors.”
He added: “The result is what we face today: uncontrolled immigration that has created unfair competition for basic services and economic opportunities between South Africans and many foreign nationals who should never have been permitted to remain in the country in the first place.”
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South Africa’s unemployment crisis
Mashaba highlighted South Africa’s severe unemployment crisis, particularly among young graduates: “It is no secret that South Africa suffers from one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. Millions of our citizens, many of them young graduates, are unable to find work.”
“In this context, prioritizing the employment of South African academics within our universities is not only reasonable but essential. These institutions have a constitutional and ethical obligation to uplift South Africans by providing opportunities for them to contribute their skills and expertise,” he emphasized.
Affirmative action and employment equity concerns
The hiring of foreign academics, particularly from other African countries, has increased since 1994 as institutions attempted to meet affirmative action and employment equity requirements. This trend continued even after former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande introduced programs to train and promote local black academics.
The issue recently came to a head during a parliamentary committee discussion when Patriotic Alliance representative Ashley Sauls confronted leadership from the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein. Sauls questioned why they hired a foreign candidate as dean of faculty over a more qualified local PhD holder.
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