Western Cape records 34 675 foreign nationals employed at inspected workplaces

More than 34 000 foreign nationals were found working at inspected workplaces across the Western Cape, according to new figures released by the Department of Employment and Labour, Cape {town} Etc reports.

The figures form part of the department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) semester one report for the 2026/27 financial year, which recorded 231 850 foreign nationals employed across 21 371 workplaces nationwide.

The findings have renewed attention on employment opportunities, workplace compliance and the challenges facing South Africans seeking entry-level jobs.

Of the 168 766 workplaces inspected nationally, 21 371 were found to employ foreign nationals.

Gauteng recorded the highest number, with 59 624 foreign nationals working at inspected establishments. North West followed with 58 533, while the Western Cape ranked third with 34 675.

The remaining provincial figures were:

• Limpopo: 24 972
• Eastern Cape: 20 385
• KwaZulu-Natal: 13 295
• Mpumalanga: 11 560
• Free State: 5 173
• Northern Cape: 3 571

A further 62 were recorded under the department’s head office.

For the Western Cape, the figures add another dimension to ongoing conversations about employment, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and retail, where businesses rely on large workforces.

Agriculture emerged as the sector employing the highest number of foreign nationals, with 46 533 workers recorded across 1 205 employers.

Wholesale and retail came second, accounting for 41 359 foreign nationals across 6 698 employers.

Other industries featuring among the top 10 included community services, manufacturing, hospitality, construction, mining, private security, financial services and education.

Speaking at the Department of Employment and Labour’s 2026 Public Employment Services (PES) strategic planning conference in Rustenburg, Inspector General of the IES Aggy Moiloa expressed concern about the findings.

Moiloa said many foreign nationals were occupying entry-level positions that could potentially have been filled by South African job seekers.

However, the figures reflect the department’s workplace inspections and do not, on their own, establish whether individual employers violated employment legislation.

Moiloa highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the Public Employment Services and Inspection and Enforcement Services branches.

She said stronger partnerships between the two divisions were necessary to improve enforcement of the Employment Services Act, as amended.

The department is also looking towards Project 10 000, an initiative intended to strengthen its inspection capacity through the recruitment of additional inspectors.

The conference, held at ANEW Hotel Hunters Rest in Rustenburg, North West, focused on collaboration and expectations around enforcing employment legislation.