What sectors are most affected by the foreign worker exodus?

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South Africa’s foreign worker exodus has hit farming, factories, domestic work, and construction hardest
South Africa’s labour crunch after thousands of foreign workers left is most visible in agriculture, including citrus fruit picking, vineyards, and sugar cane cutting. The disruption also extends to factory work, domestic work inside households, and construction, as Zimbabwean returnees reported working across these sectors.
Citrus, vineyards, and sugar cane face immediate harvesting and cutting gaps
Farmworkers described rows of unpicked citrus and said the same shortage is looming in vineyards, where grapes are due to be cut. In KwaZulu-Natal’s sugar belt, growers reported losing up to 80 per cent of their cane-cutting workforce virtually overnight, with fields still needing labour.
Households and domestic work are scrambling for staff
The return of thousands of foreign workers has also affected domestic work, with Zimbabwe accounting for the largest share of those returning and many having worked in households. As foreign workers left within weeks, ordinary households joined farms and factories in seeking labour.
Clothing and other factory operations struggle with skilled machinists
In Durban’s Chatsworth industrial area, a clothing factory manager said the departure of skilled machinists from Malawi and Mozambique left factories struggling to meet orders. She said factories could barely meet targets because many workers were forced to go, and it would take time for local workers to master the job.
Construction and broader labour markets are disrupted alongside farming
Zimbabwean sources said many of those who left worked not only in farming and domestic work but also in construction. Across the country, the overall pattern described is that sectors relying on foreign labour are scrambling to replace both workers and, in some cases, years of experience.

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What sectors are most affected by the foreign worker exodus?

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