KwaZulu-Natal has ranked sixth in the number of foreign nationals found at inspected workplaces, according to the Department of Employment and Labour's Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) semester one report. The report revealed that 13,295 foreign nationals were employed at inspected workplaces in the province during the first half of the 2026/27 financial year. This represents a fraction of the 231,850 foreign nationals employed across 21,371 workplaces nationally.
The Department of Employment and Labour inspected 168,766 workplaces by the end of the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. The inspections led to the discovery of foreign nationals employed across various sectors. Gauteng recorded the highest number of foreign nationals employed at inspected workplaces, with 59,624, followed by North West with 58,533 and the Western Cape with 34,675. KwaZulu-Natal ranked sixth nationally, behind Limpopo with 24,972 and the Eastern Cape with 20,385.
Agriculture recorded the highest number of foreign nationals employed nationally, with 46,533 workers across 1,205 employers. Wholesale and retail trade followed, with 41,359 foreign nationals across 6,698 employers. Other sectors among the top 10 included community services, manufacturing, hospitality, construction, mining, private security, financial services and education. These sectors have been identified as having a significant presence of foreign nationals.
Inspector General Aggy Moila expressed concern that many foreign nationals were employed in entry-level positions which could potentially be occupied by South Africans. Moila was speaking at the Public Employment Services (PES) branch's 2026 National Strategic Planning Conference at Anew Hotel Hunters Rest in Rustenburg, North West. The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss employment and labour issues.
Moila emphasized the need for collaboration and strengthened partnerships between the PES and IES. “Enforcement depends on capacity on both sides,” she said. The IES is banking on Project 10,000 to recruit additional inspectors and strengthen enforcement. This initiative aims to enhance the department's capacity to monitor and enforce labour laws.
The Department of Employment and Labour's report highlights the complexities of foreign nationals in the South African workforce. While some sectors rely heavily on foreign labour, there are concerns about the impact on local employment opportunities. The department's efforts to strengthen enforcement and collaboration aim to address these challenges.
The issue of foreign nationals in the workforce is closely tied to the country's unemployment rate, which has edged up to 33.7% despite 101,000 new jobs. The Department of Employment and Labour continues to grapple with the challenges of balancing the needs of the economy with the need to protect local employment opportunities.
Key points
- KwaZulu-Natal ranked sixth nationally in terms of foreign nationals employed at inspected workplaces.
- Agriculture recorded the highest number of foreign nationals employed nationally.
- The Department of Employment and Labour aims to strengthen enforcement through Project 10,000.
