March and March Supporter Demands Foreigners Leave, Then Turns Down Their 6AM Construction Job

DURBAN — A vocal March and march supporter of the March and March movement, who has spent months protesting against foreign nationals “stealing” South African jobs, walked away from a real construction opportunity this week — because the shift started at 6am.

The 34-year-old man, Thabo Mthembu from KwaMashu, had become a regular face at local rallies, holding placards that read “Foreigners Must Go” and “Sizwe First”. Like many others in the group, he insisted that once foreign workers left, unemployed locals would step straight into their roles.

March and March leaders Jacinta Zuma and Phakela took him at his word. They arranged a meeting with a reputable Durban construction firm that was actively looking for local hires after several Mozambican and Zimbabwean labourers had been let go amid growing pressure and permit checks.

What happened next has lit up social media.

“I Thought It Would Be Different”March and March Supporter

On Tuesday morning, Thabo arrived at the site in Briardene expecting what he later described as “proper work”. Instead, the site foreman walked him past stacks of concrete pipes and rebar to a long, muddy trench where a crew was already busy digging, levelling, and laying stormwater pipes under the hot early sun.

The foreman handed him a yellow hard hat, a reflective vest, gloves, and safety boots.

“He looked a bit shocked,” the foreman recalled. “He kept looking around like he was waiting for someone to bring him a chair or a clipboard.”

Thabo asked about the starting time.

“Six o’clock sharp, every weekday,” the supervisor replied. “We knock off at 3:30pm. Half an hour lunch.”

Thabo immediately handed the hard hat back.

“Six o’clock? Hayi bo. I said foreigners must leave, but I didn’t say I must wake up at four in the morning,” he told the group. “I have to take two taxis, prepare lunch the night before, and my wife works night shift at the hospital. When am I supposed to sleep?”

He then asked if the company had any “office positions” that started at 9am, preferably with Wi-Fi and air conditioning. When told those roles required experience and qualifications, Thabo suggested his months of “supervising debates on Facebook groups” and organising march logistics should count as leadership experience.

The construction manager, Sipho Dlamini, explained that even basic supervisory roles on site require a valid construction safety certificate, at least two years’ practical experience, and the physical ability to work outdoors in all weather.

Thabo argued back: “I’ve been marching in rain and sun for this cause. That’s experience.”

His application ended there.

Company Still Short-Staffed

The firm confirmed it still has several entry-level positions open paying the sectoral minimum wage plus daily transport allowance. But every applicant must be physically fit, have legal documentation, and be willing to start at 6am.

“We’re not asking people to do the impossible,” Dlamini said. “This is real construction work — not an office job. The foreigners who left were doing it without complaint for years. Now locals say the hours are too early.”

Thabo later told a local reporter he remains committed to the cause but wants “realistic” jobs.

“Maybe if they give free transport, start at 10am, and put a chair next to the trench so I can supervise, then I’ll think about it,” he said.

Social Media Divided

The story has split opinion online. Many users laughed at the irony:

“He wanted their job until the alarm went off at 4am 😂” “March and March must now protest against early shifts and taxis that don’t come on time.” “This is exactly why some employers prefer foreigners — they just show up and work.”

Others were more sympathetic, arguing that employers must improve conditions.

“Pay better wages, provide proper transport, and respect people’s realities,” one comment read. “You can’t expect a man living in KwaMashu to happily jump out of bed at 4am for poverty wages.”

The Deeper Issue

The incident has thrown a harsh light on South Africa’s heated immigration and unemployment debate. Removing a foreign worker does not magically create a willing, skilled, or motivated local replacement if the job involves early starts, physical labour, low pay, and long travel times.

Wages, working hours, transport costs, and skills gaps all play a role. Blaming foreigners alone ignores these structural problems — and employers cannot use immigration issues as cover for exploitative conditions.

As one labour analyst put it: “A vacant trench is not an employment policy. South Africa needs real job creation, better training, affordable public transport, and honest conversations about who is actually willing to do the tough jobs — and under what conditions.”

For now, the trench in Briardene remains short-handed, and March and March’s Thabo Mthembu is still looking for that 9am office role.