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Immigration does not contribute to SA’s unemployment crisis, says former AU chairperson and ANC veteran Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Her comments come amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment across the country, where civic groups have staged protests against illegal immigration.
Protesters have demanded the immediate deportation of undocumented foreigners, arguing that they overwhelm both public services and the jobs market.
Speaking to the SABC, Dlamini-Zuma argued that SA’s unemployment crisis would persist even if every undocumented foreigner were deported.
“Because there is unemployment, people are now trying to attribute that unemployment to the Africans who are here,” she said. “I don’t think if they left there would suddenly be employment in SA. There would still be unemployment.”
While she acknowledged that illegal migration should not be accepted, she emphasised that foreigners who are in the country legally should not be targeted.
“Illegal migration is not desirable, but legal migration is fine. There should be no problem with people who are here legally,” she stated.
South Africa’s unemployment rate surged to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, pushing the total number of unemployed citizens to 8.1-million.
Addressing the crisis, Dlamini-Zuma noted that while many unemployed individuals were educated, they often lacked the technical skills required by modern industries.
“If young people are not skilled, they are unlikely to get jobs or create jobs themselves,” she explained. “You’ll find that a lot of people who are unemployed don’t have a particular skill. Some of them are educated, but they don’t have the specific skills the economy needs.”
Reflecting on a recent trip to India, the ANC veteran shared how impressed she was by the skills centres she visited. “They were teaching young people how to repair cellphones, drones, and electric motorbikes, as well as how to install and maintain solar panels. Those are the exact types of skills that secure employment.
“Companies hire them immediately, and those who choose not to work for corporations have the tools to start their own businesses.”
She added that while it was important for South Africans to gain those skills, the economy should also be ready to accommodate them. “We need to make sure young people are skilled, and our economy must grow. If the economy doesn’t grow, it won’t be able to absorb the skilled workers entering the labour market.”
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