In a response to the question asked by Hon Mntomuhle Khawula of the IFP, to the KwaZulu Natal department of Health, about how many foreign nationals are employed by the department as doctors in the province, the department responded by saying that they are 336 from 57 different countries. This is in the province of KwaZulu Natal alone.
Toping this list is doctors from the Democratic Republic of Congo with a figure of 77, followed by Nigeria with a figure of 60 and Zimbabwe with 35. There is also Cuba with 21, Bangladesh with 11, India with 11, the United Kingdom with 5 and other countries.
Whilst the IFP does not have a problem with other countries providing jobs regarded as scarce skills to our country, this should however, not happen to the detriment of the citizens of our country. South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal still remain with loads of professional health workers who are loafing at home with their qualifications unemployed.
The IFP is appealing to government at all levels to prioritise South Africans first in all available job opportunities, before jumping to import skills from outside the country. This will ensure that young South Africans who are jobless get employed so that the level of unemployment is decreased in the country.
Contact:
Mntomuhle B Khawula
Member of the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Legislature (IFP)
Contact no. 071 207 9445