After reading Deputy Minister Buti Manamela’s article in the Daily Maverick last week, I immediately instructed my office to request a right of reply, which the publication initially granted. However, shortly after my response, now self-published below, was submitted, the Daily Maverick rescinded its agreement to publish it, citing concerns that it “promotes xenophobia.”
This is an uncomfortable truth and a difficult conversation for some, but I will leave it to you, the readers, to judge for yourselves.
In his article titled “Ashley Sauls’ attempt at questioning foreign staff at universities shows lack of understanding,” Deputy Minister Manamela expressed his support for the continued appointment of foreign academics at South African universities.
While I respect his right to hold that view, I must firmly disagree with his dismissal of concerns surrounding the seemingly unchecked employment of foreign nationals in our academic institutions.
There is an immediate historical context we must confront in this discussion. Over the past thirty years, the ANC-led Tripartite Alliance has presided over a reckless disregard for immigration controls. Initially, this resulted in vulnerable South Africans bearing the brunt of porous borders. Over time, the consequences have escalated, with higher levels of employment coming under threat due to unfair competition and foreign dominance in critical sectors.
I am fully aware that the proverbial fish rots from the head. What began with failed and often corrupt leadership, in whose circles impunity has flourished, has extended to ordinary civil servants stationed at our borders and within Home Affairs offices. It has become routine for officials to supplement their incomes by engaging in the criminal practice of selling South African documents, including passports, identity documents, driver’s licences, marriage and birth certificates, to individuals who do not qualify to receive them.
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.
It is no secret that South Africa suffers 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, it is not only reasonable but essential to prioritise the employment of South African academics within our universities. These institutions have a constitutional and ethical obligation to uplift South Africans by providing opportunities for them to contribute their skills and expertise. To argue otherwise is to ignore the daily hardship of countless citizens seeking meaningful work and global competitiveness.
Let me be unequivocal that this is not a call for xenophobia. It is a call for fairness and the responsible management of our scarce opportunities. Like many South Africans, I recognise the value that skilled individuals from other countries can offer. However, this must never come at the expense of South Africans, especially when so many remain unemployed through no fault of their own and are striving for a chance to succeed.
Universities do not operate in isolation from the broader national imperative. Where suitably qualified South Africans exist, they must be given first consideration for academic appointments. Only when no local expertise is available should foreign recruitment be considered. This is not an extreme position – it is a globally accepted norm aimed at protecting national interests.
The real lack of understanding lies in ignoring the growing frustration and hardship experienced by unemployed South Africans – including those qualified for academic roles. Our government must act decisively to create jobs, reform education, and manage our borders in a manner that is both lawful and just. It must also take firm action against border and immigration officials who have abused their positions for personal, criminal enrichment – regardless of their identity or rank.
My commitment, and that of ActionSA, is to put South Africans first by creating employment, ending nepotism, restoring the rule of law, and ensuring that opportunities in this country benefit its citizens above all else.
No one can reasonably deny that competition for basic services and economic opportunities has, over time, escalated from unskilled and semi-skilled sectors to those requiring advanced qualifications, including academia.
The tired narrative that South Africans are lazy or lack the skills required for rare academic disciplines must be challenged and rejected. South Africans want to work.
It is the responsibility of government and public institutions, including universities, to ensure that South Africans are given first priority when employment opportunities arise.
Prioritising South African academics is not xenophobic, it is common sense and a moral necessity in a country plagued by high unemployment and deepening inequality. We must focus on solutions that uplift all South Africans, rather than dismissing legitimate concerns as ignorance.
If we want the South African academic sector to thrive in a competitive global landscape, we must not only create jobs for our people but also build pathways for local graduates to enter, grow, and lead within the system. We cannot continue sidelining them in favour of individuals whose talents were nurtured by other nations.
South African Academics Must Always Be Prioritised
After reading Deputy Minister Buti Manamela’s article in the Daily Maverick last week, I immediately instructed my office to request a right of reply, which the publication initially granted. However, shortly after my response, now self-published below, was submitted, the Daily Maverick rescinded its agreement to publish it, citing concerns that it “promotes xenophobia.”
This is an uncomfortable truth and a difficult conversation for some, but I will leave it to you, the readers, to judge for yourselves.
In his article titled “Ashley Sauls’ attempt at questioning foreign staff at universities shows lack of understanding,” Deputy Minister Manamela expressed his support for the continued appointment of foreign academics at South African universities.
While I respect his right to hold that view, I must firmly disagree with his dismissal of concerns surrounding the seemingly unchecked employment of foreign nationals in our academic institutions.
There is an immediate historical context we must confront in this discussion. Over the past thirty years, the ANC-led Tripartite Alliance has presided over a reckless disregard for immigration controls. Initially, this resulted in vulnerable South Africans bearing the brunt of porous borders. Over time, the consequences have escalated, with higher levels of employment coming under threat due to unfair competition and foreign dominance in critical sectors.
I am fully aware that the proverbial fish rots from the head. What began with failed and often corrupt leadership, in whose circles impunity has flourished, has extended to ordinary civil servants stationed at our borders and within Home Affairs offices. It has become routine for officials to supplement their incomes by engaging in the criminal practice of selling South African documents, including passports, identity documents, driver’s licences, marriage and birth certificates, to individuals who do not qualify to receive them.
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.
It is no secret that South Africa suffers 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, it is not only reasonable but essential to prioritise the employment of South African academics within our universities. These institutions have a constitutional and ethical obligation to uplift South Africans by providing opportunities for them to contribute their skills and expertise. To argue otherwise is to ignore the daily hardship of countless citizens seeking meaningful work and global competitiveness.
Let me be unequivocal that this is not a call for xenophobia. It is a call for fairness and the responsible management of our scarce opportunities. Like many South Africans, I recognise the value that skilled individuals from other countries can offer. However, this must never come at the expense of South Africans, especially when so many remain unemployed through no fault of their own and are striving for a chance to succeed.
Universities do not operate in isolation from the broader national imperative. Where suitably qualified South Africans exist, they must be given first consideration for academic appointments. Only when no local expertise is available should foreign recruitment be considered. This is not an extreme position – it is a globally accepted norm aimed at protecting national interests.
The real lack of understanding lies in ignoring the growing frustration and hardship experienced by unemployed South Africans – including those qualified for academic roles. Our government must act decisively to create jobs, reform education, and manage our borders in a manner that is both lawful and just. It must also take firm action against border and immigration officials who have abused their positions for personal, criminal enrichment – regardless of their identity or rank.
My commitment, and that of ActionSA, is to put South Africans first by creating employment, ending nepotism, restoring the rule of law, and ensuring that opportunities in this country benefit its citizens above all else.
No one can reasonably deny that competition for basic services and economic opportunities has, over time, escalated from unskilled and semi-skilled sectors to those requiring advanced qualifications, including academia.
The tired narrative that South Africans are lazy or lack the skills required for rare academic disciplines must be challenged and rejected. South Africans want to work.
It is the responsibility of government and public institutions, including universities, to ensure that South Africans are given first priority when employment opportunities arise.
Prioritising South African academics is not xenophobic, it is common sense and a moral necessity in a country plagued by high unemployment and deepening inequality. We must focus on solutions that uplift all South Africans, rather than dismissing legitimate concerns as ignorance.
If we want the South African academic sector to thrive in a competitive global landscape, we must not only create jobs for our people but also build pathways for local graduates to enter, grow, and lead within the system. We cannot continue sidelining them in favour of individuals whose talents were nurtured by other nations.