Scores of frustrated residents from Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, took to the streets on Monday in a protest led by the Soil of Africa civic movement, demanding job opportunities at the N4 Gateway Industrial Park. The demonstrators allege that the industrial park prioritizes hiring undocumented foreign nationals over local job seekers, exacerbating unemployment in the area.
Traffic Brought to a Standstill
Before handing over their memorandum, protesters blocked roads, bringing traffic to a complete halt. The march highlighted growing tensions over employment disparities, with many residents claiming they have been jobless for years while foreign nationals secure work at the industrial park.
“We are suffering—there are no jobs,” said one protester. “Many people from outside are working, while our citizens, African citizens, are left struggling. We end up doing things that are not right just to survive.”
Civic Movement Demands Local Hiring
Bongani Ramona, chairperson of the Soil of Africa movement, stated that this was not their first engagement with N4 Gateway management. The group has previously submitted letters urging the company to hire more locals from Mamelodi and surrounding areas.
“We have stats showing that 45% of workers here are not from Mamelodi,” Ramona said. “We came here to demand job opportunities for our people.”
Industrial Park Responds
A representative from N4 Gateway accepted the memorandum and acknowledged the concerns, committing to work more closely with the civic movement on future hiring.
“There are very few job opportunities, but we can do more,” the representative said. “We’ve started engaging with Soil of Africa, and today, they’ve already proposed hiring five locals immediately. This shows progress.”
72-Hour Ultimatum Issued
The Soil of Africa movement has given N4 Gateway 72 hours to respond to their demands. If no feedback is provided, they have vowed to continue picketing until their grievances are addressed.
The protest reflects broader frustrations in South Africa, where unemployment remains high, and competition for jobs has fueled tensions between locals and foreign nationals. Authorities are monitoring the situation as pressure mounts on businesses to prioritize local employment.