{
  "id": 3243932,
  "title": "GROUNDUP: Fired for being foreign as employers bow to March and March threats",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/groundup-fired-for-being-foreign-as-employers-bow-to-march-and-march",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-25T11:08:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-25-fired-for-being-foreign-as-employers-bow-to-march-and-march-threats/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A significant increase in xenophobic labour practices has been reported in Gauteng, according to the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO). Raphike Bado, a Malawian immigrant who has worked in South Africa for many years, expressed his frustration with his former employer, saying they \"used us and threw us away when they were done.\" Many immigrant workers are struggling to make ends meet, as they have exhausted their savings and cannot afford travel costs to leave the country. CWAO's immigrant liaison officer, Gugu Moyo, claims that immigrant workers are being treated as \"less than human\" and are facing exploitation. Moyo worries that there is \"no end in sight\" as politicians and anti-immigration activists continue to scapegoat immigrants and spread hatred. In June, over 100 cases of Gauteng workers being fired, suspended, or shut out of their jobs were taken up by CWAO. Despite contributing to the UIF fund, none of the immigrant workers have successfully claimed UIF, as their employers have refused to cooperate. CWAO is attempting to assist with CCMA cases, and has helped hundreds of immigrants with embassy contacts, document sorting, and repatriation arrangements. Workers reported cases of exploitation, including low wages, unpaid overtime, and unsafe working conditions. An emotional Rejoice Moyo, one of the many stories related to GroundUp by immigrant workers, has lived in South Africa for 17 years but was dismissed after anti-immigrant group March and March arrived at her workplace on June 10, informing her employer of their \"30 June deadline\" for undocumented immigrants to leave the country. Moyo, despite being documented and legally working in South Africa, was dismissed and not given notice pay or accrued annual leave. Other workers, including Mbombo Nana and Sylvia from the Democratic Republic of Congo, have also been dismissed after people turned up at their workplaces demanding that \"only South Africans\" be hired. Both of them are legally allowed to work in South Africa but have been dismissed without payment. Monica Chifamba, a single mother from Zimbabwe, was also recently dismissed without payment, struggling to feed her family and pay rent and school fees. She has faced xenophobia during previous election periods, but 2026 is different. She is \"living in fear,\" too afraid to answer the phone or speak in public. Bado, who has worked in plastic manufacturing since coming to South Africa in 2013, said that the company hired \"many foreigners\" as they were \"cheaper\" and \"could work longer.\" On June 15, he and fellow employees were told not to come to work the following day, \"because March and March.\" Bado was subsequently dismissed without compensation. CWAO organiser Andile Nyembezi stated that \"xenophobic forces are mobilising based on ethnicity and tribalism which only divides\" and does not create jobs or improve working conditions. The workers interviewed for this article did not agree to be photographed due to fear.",
  "summary": "The Casual Workers Advice Office has recorded a sharp rise in reports of xenophobic labour practices in Gauteng.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "GroundUp",
        "title": "Fired for being foreign: how employers gave in to March and March threats",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/fired-for-being-foreign-how-employers-gave-in-to-march-and-march",
        "published": "2026-08-25T07:54:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}