The march was part of the group's nationwide campaign aimed at Education Departments in every province.
In a poster circulating on social media, Operation Dudula South Africa wrote:
No foreigner must be employed ahead of a South African.
The group has accused both the department of education and health of putting foreign nationals ahead of locals when it comes to job opportunities as well as placement of learners in schools.
The movement has called on all government departments to prioritise South Africans first, adding that it does make sense for South Africans to pay heavy taxes when they are excluded from taking part in the country's affairs.
Some of their demands include, more work opportunities for South Africans from the education sector and that no South African child should be denied access to education due to the fact that foreigners have already filled up spaces in schools.
In an interview, Department of Basic Education (DBE) spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga denied claims that the education sector’s employment practices do not prioritise South Africans.
According to Operation Dudula, 10 000 foreigners are working throughout South Africa. Mhlanga, however, has refuted this, calling the number false and misleading.
In South Africa, we have got 4001 teachers and out of that we have got 2458 non-South African teachers appointed in our schools, of 2458, 1884 are now naturalised South Africans... and of that 409 are actually from Zimbabwe, which means 574 are on work permits. If you look at that it leaves you with about 400 or 500 people are foreigners working on work permits in our public schools.
Mhlanga adds that the public education system operates outside of sectors that accept general work permits and that the department only makes exceptions for immigrants who are on the critical skills list.
He says that the lack of regulatory oversight is placed on the Department of Home Affairs.
“It begins with Home Affairs who should provide the framework. The jobs foreign workers are applying for should be on the critical skills list.” Mhlanga said.
He says that because the education department is in the school sector and not the general employment sector, the department does not take it into consideration.
