South Africa Faces Labour Crisis as Xenophobic Violence Forces Thousands of Migrant Workers to Flee

South Africa’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors are grappling with growing labour shortages after a wave of xenophobic violence and stricter immigration enforcement prompted thousands of migrant workers to leave the country.

The exodus followed anti-migrant protests and intensified immigration operations that gathered momentum after fringe groups set June 30 as an unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. According to an AFP tally based on figures released by African governments, more than 160,000 foreign nationals have returned to their home countries within weeks.

Among those affected is Aaron Majatamhe, a Zimbabwean farmworker employed in one of South Africa’s leading citrus-producing regions. He said farms are already struggling to harvest crops due to the sudden loss of experienced workers.

“I see a lot of farm owners who are crying now… people have to harvest those naartjies but there is no one,” Majatamhe said, adding that vineyards are also facing labour shortages during the grape harvesting season.

The impact has been particularly severe in KwaZulu-Natal’s sugar-producing region. One farmer said he lost nearly 80 percent of his cane-cutting workforce almost overnight, warning that reduced production could threaten the operations of local sugar mills.

Another sugarcane grower near Mid-Illovo said the industry has long relied on workers from neighbouring Lesotho, explaining that many South Africans are unwilling to take on the physically demanding work. However, labour unions strongly dispute that claim, arguing that high unemployment means many locals are available for work but are discouraged by poor wages and working conditions.

Union officials accuse some employers of favouring migrant workers because they are often willing to accept lower pay, longer hours and fewer employment protections. Patrick Williams of the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union alleged that many foreign farmworkers regularly worked seven days a week, skipped lunch breaks and earned below the national minimum wage.

The labour shortage has also affected the manufacturing sector. A clothing factory manager in Durban said the departure of skilled machinists from Malawi and Mozambique has disrupted production, making it difficult to meet customer orders. She noted that replacing experienced workers with new recruits will take time.

In response to growing public concern over migration, the South African government has promoted a “locals first” employment policy while acknowledging that some industries remain heavily dependent on foreign labour. Authorities recently expanded the Trusted Employer Scheme, which speeds up work visa approvals for businesses that primarily employ South Africans, invest in skills development and operate in priority sectors.

Industry leaders are now calling for a regulated seasonal worker programme similar to those used in other countries, arguing that agriculture cannot replace experienced migrant workers overnight. More than 60 percent of South Africa’s immigrant population is estimated to come from member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

For many migrants, however, economic concerns have taken a back seat to personal safety. Police data indicates that at least four foreign nationals have been killed during the recent unrest. While some have returned home, others, including Majatamhe, say they remain trapped by financial hardship.

“We are afraid to stay even in this place, but the problem is, we don’t have enough money to go home,” he said.