Armed with curriculum vitae (CVs) and a memorandum of demands, hundreds, if not thousands, of unemployed residents from communities surrounding Midrand Industrial Park (MIP) staged a peaceful march to the industrial hub on June 29, calling for greater employment opportunities for local residents.

The march, organised by the Mayibuye Youth Activist Movement (MYAM), began at the corner of Modderfontein and Dane roads before making its way to MIP, under the watch of a strong law enforcement presence.

Residents from Mayibuye, Austin View, President Park, Klipfontein, Phomolong, Rabie Ridge, Kanana, Mayibuye Human Settlement, and surrounding areas joined the demonstration.

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Rather than carrying placards alone, many participants held CVs, hoping to submit them directly to companies operating within the industrial park.

Alongside the CVs, organisers handed over a memorandum on behalf of thousands of unemployed residents, particularly young people, who they say continue to face economic exclusion despite living next to one of Gauteng’s largest industrial and commercial centres.

The memorandum comes as South Africa continues to battle persistently high unemployment. According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the country’s official unemployment rate stands at 32.7%, while youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 34 ranges between 45.6% and 55.8%, when discouraged work-seekers are included. For young people, aged 15 to 24, unemployment exceeds 60%.

The march also took place amid growing national debates around employment and immigration, with several civic organisations across South Africa staging demonstrations calling for stricter enforcement against undocumented foreign nationals in the workplace.

MYAM’s memorandum similarly called for employers to comply with South African labour legislation and to remove undocumented foreign nationals from workplaces where they are employed unlawfully.

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March convener and MYAM spokesperson Thabiso Mehlape said the demonstration was intended to address the growing socioeconomic challenges facing local communities.

“This march is a peaceful march aimed at addressing the socio-economic issues affecting our communities. Our youth are unemployed and many South Africans are struggling to find work despite living close to major economic hubs.”

He argued that local residents possess the skills required for available jobs and that employers should prioritise hiring South Africans.

“We are reclaiming the local economy for South African residents, so that families can survive. There is no such thing as a scarce skill for many of these positions. We have qualified people, from general workers and artisans to administrators and professionals.”

Mehlape said the industrial park had been given 14 days to respond to the memorandum. He added that MYAM intends to expand its campaign to other business precincts, including Lords View, Mall of Africa, Chloorkop, and surrounding logistics companies.

He further alleged that some employers continue to prioritise foreign nationals over South Africans, calling for strict compliance with the Employment Services Act and national minimum wage legislation.

“Employers must comply with South African laws. If foreign nationals are employed, the necessary permits and documentation must be in place, and employers must demonstrate that the required skills could not be sourced locally.”

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Among the marchers was unemployed resident London Mofokeng. “This march gives us hope that local people will finally get an opportunity to work. We want companies around us to recognise that there are capable South Africans who are ready to work.”

Despite heightened security at the industrial park, the demonstration concluded peacefully. Management representatives allowed residents to submit their CVs and announced that a dedicated CV drop-off box would be installed at the entrance of the industrial park in the coming weeks to make it easier for local job seekers to submit applications.

Receiving the memorandum on behalf of MIP was attorney Katelyn van der Walt, who thanked protesters for conducting a peaceful demonstration.

“Thank you to everyone for remaining calm. We appreciate that you came here to engage constructively rather than cause disruption. We are open to constructive conversations and will respond to the memorandum.”

Ward 80 councillor Melody Hlatshwayo, who also attended the march, described unemployment as one of the greatest challenges facing both the local community and South Africa. She encouraged residents to remain united and continue pursuing lawful avenues to demand economic opportunities while maintaining peace and order.

The memorandum included demands such as:

• Prioritisation of local employment: All companies operating within MIP must prioritise recruitment and employment of suitably qualified residents from President Park, Austin View, Rabie Ridge, Kanana, Phomolong, Mayibuye, and Mayibuye human settlement.
• Establishment of a local employment database: A centralised local employment database must be established and used before external recruitment is undertaken.
• Youth employment programmes: Implementation of graduate internships, apprenticeships, learnerships, artisan development programmes, workplace experience programmes, and entry-level opportunities.
• Transparent recruitment process: All vacancies must be publicly advertised and recruitment processes must be fair, transparent, and free from corruption.
• Local business participation: Increase procurement opportunities for local small, medium, and micro enterprises through supplier development and enterprise development initiatives.
• Community/industry engagement forum: Establish a formal forum consisting of industrial park representatives, companies, community leaders, and youth representatives.
• Removal of undocumented foreign nationals: An employer may not employ a foreign national within the territory of the Republic of South Africa prior to such foreign nationals producing an applicable and valid work permit, issued in terms of the Immigration Act.

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