Chinese enterprises offer jobs to South Africans

Chinese enterprises that have invested in South Africa have created 12,000 jobs in the last two years, said a Chinese government official on Tuesday.

The Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Li Zhigang announced this at the Job Fair 2024 in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The Job Fair, hosted by the South African-China Economic and Trade Association, was intended to enable South African jobseekers to apply for jobs at Chinese enterprises.

"The brothers, friends and partners from China are committed to working with South Africa to create jobs and foster development. Employment is like a bridge with one end connecting national development and the other connecting family well-being," said Li.

Maropene Ramokgopa, South African minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation, said her country is creating a conducive environment so that companies from China and other parts of the world can invest and create jobs. She thanked the Chinese enterprise for creating jobs for South Africans, saying that China and South Africa have good relations.

A South African job seeker, Siyabonga Inguane said he applied for 10 jobs at different Chinese enterprises for different posts. He said many of the posts advertised require technical skills which many do not possess. Inguane said some Chinese enterprises promised that they would train them and offer them some jobs.

Chardonnay Samson, who is a teacher, said she applied for an administration job because there were few vacancies in the teaching field. The initiative to offer jobs to South Africans jobs is welcome and she wishes this could continue, she said.