More than 6,000 foreign nationals working as public servants in SA
Gauteng has the highest number of foreign nationals in the public service, particularly within the education and health departments.
The Department of Public Service and Administration has confirmed that 6,220 foreign nationals are currently working as public servants in both provincial and national government positions.
This was revealed by minister Mzamo Buthelezi in a parliamentary response to a question posed by ActionSA’s Dr Kgosi Letlape, who had asked what is the total number of foreign nationals who are employed in each department and institution of the public service.
OVER 6000 FOREIGN NATIONALS EMPLOYED AS PUBLIC SERVANTS
The department said the 6 220 made up 0.5% of the estimated 12 million public servants and encompasses the total of both temporary employees engaged for specific durations and those who have acquired permanent residency status.
The data was drawn from the Personal and Salary System (Persal), which is the the central system used for the administration of the public service payroll.
Unsurprisingly, South Africa’s economic hub Gauteng has the highest number of foreign nationals employed as public servants. In every province, most foreign nationals are employed in the health, education and agriculture sectors.
HERE ARE THE TOP FIVE PROVINCES:
| Gauteng | Number of employees |
| Education | 826 |
| Health | 839 |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | 16 |
| Infrastructure Development | 7 |
| Roads and Transport | 5 |
| Mpumalanga | Number of employees |
| Education | 465 |
| Health | 175 |
| Agriculture, Rural Development, Land Environment Affairs | 5 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Number of employees |
| Education | 271 |
| Health | 345 |
| Agriculture and Land Reform | 13 |
| North West | Number of employees |
| Education | 221 |
| Health | 367 |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | 12 |
| Eastern Cape | Number of employees |
| Education | 337 |
| Health | 208 |
| Rural Development and Agrigarian Reform | 11 |
SA TEACHERS AND DOCTORS PROTESTS FOR JOBS
Earlier this year, qualified and unemployed doctors and teachers led various marches and staged sit-ins in provincial departments, especially in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
In March, the Weekend Argus reported that the national Department of Health had hired over 200 of the 800 unemployed doctors in the country.
Speaking to the publication, health spokesperson, Foster Mohale confirmed that 270 doctors had been employed.
He added that advertising and recruiting medical doctors and other health professionals was ongoing. He was unable to confirm how many doctors were placed in designated provinces.
In April, unemployed doctors marched to the headquarters at Natalia Building in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal and sat overnight in front of the building’s entrance. The doctors vowed only to leave the premises if given letters of appointment.