“WHY WERE 40 FOREIGN LECTURERS HIRED?” — MPS GRILL UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA AS QUESTIONS GROW OVER WHETHER SOUTH AFRICANS WERE OVERLOOKED FOR JOBS

“WHY WERE 40 FOREIGN LECTURERS HIRED?” — MPS GRILL UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA AS QUESTIONS GROW OVER WHETHER SOUTH AFRICANS WERE OVERLOOKED FOR JOBS Members of Parliament have questioned the University of Mpumalanga over the employment of foreign nationals after concerns were raised about whether recruitment processes followed South African labour and immigration laws. During a […]

“WHY WERE 40 FOREIGN LECTURERS HIRED?” — MPS GRILL UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA AS QUESTIONS GROW OVER WHETHER SOUTH AFRICANS WERE OVERLOOKED FOR JOBS

Members of Parliament have questioned the University of Mpumalanga over the employment of foreign nationals after concerns were raised about whether recruitment processes followed South African labour and immigration laws.

During a parliamentary oversight meeting, MPs asked university management to explain why foreign nationals had been appointed to certain academic and support positions, with some members arguing that several of the roles did not appear to require scarce or critical skills. The issue comes amid South Africa’s high unemployment rate and growing calls for citizens to be prioritised for available jobs.

The discussion also included claims that some appointments may have been made without first adequately advertising posts locally or exhausting the pool of qualified South African candidates. Parliament has called for institutions to comply fully with immigration and labour laws when employing foreign nationals.

The University of Mpumalanga has denied allegations that it systematically engages in unfair hiring practices and says it follows legal recruitment processes. The university has also rejected some claims circulating online, describing them as inaccurate.

The matter remains under scrutiny as Parliament continues to examine the employment of foreign academics across universities and TVET colleges, with lawmakers calling for greater transparency and compliance with South African labour and immigration laws.

Do you think South African universities should always prioritise qualified South African citizens before hiring foreign nationals, except where genuine scarce skills are needed?