IN SHORT: Posts are circulating on social media in South Africa, claiming that after a wave of anti-migrant protests in 2026, thousands of job opportunities have opened up for South Africans at multinational supermarket chain Spar. But there is no evidence for this.
A series of posts on social media in July 2026 credits the anti-migrant movement in South Africa with pressuring supermarket chain Spar into a mass recruitment drive for locals in the country.
Posts suggest 15,000 job openings are now waiting to be filled. In the context of South Africa's severe unemployment crisis, these posts have spread far and wide. But they are not accurate.
Leading anti-migrant movement figure repeats claim to media
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The claim appeared in the days after 30 June 2026, pronounced as an unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. The claim about jobs at Spar appears to originate with Nkosinathi Ndabandaba, a public figure with a large social media following who has featured prominently in the demonstrations wearing Zulu warrior regalia and has become a key figure in the movement.
In a 1 July media briefing, Ndabandaba said that "thousands of jobs have been created since many illegal foreign nationals have left the country" and spoke of 15,000 supposed job opportunities for South Africans at Spar. Later in the same briefing, he said: "The jobs that are created, they are evident ... Spar has advertised those jobs. It's on the public space."
But he provided no evidence in support of this. Africa Check searched for online recruitment channels used by the retailer. The Spar website says it has partnered with Pnet, an online career portal, to advertise jobs at its stores. Spar has also said that job openings are advertised through official channels or by independently owned Spar stores.
Some jobs are listed on the dedicated Pnet portal, with positions for managers and clerks open at time of publication. But this portal lists less than 15 job openings, not 15,000. On LinkedIn, another careers website, three open positions are listed for the Spar Group in South Africa.
And there is no indication on Spar's official communication channels that suggests anything about 15,000 jobs, or a link between job openings and the anti-migrant protests.
Spar's official response
News24 addressed the claim on 3 July, and approached Spar for comment. The company was quick to debunk it, saying that hiring happens through its normal channels, unrelated to the nationality of potential staff.
"These false and misleading posts are being circulated without authorisation and do not reflect any communication or initiative of The SPAR Group South Africa."
The retailer also said: "Employment decisions are based on the requirements of the role, relevant skills, experience and legal eligibility to work in South Africa. We employ people who are legally entitled to work in the country, regardless of their nationality. We are committed to maintaining workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive, and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind."
South African law prohibits businesses from hiring foreign-born people who cannot prove they have the right to work in the country, such as through a work visa or a particular refugee permit.
Africa Check has previously debunked recurring scam adverts claiming that Spar was hiring staff for their stores.
The bigger picture
The claim is not backed up by reliable evidence, and the narrative it is based on is similarly questionable. Part of the frustration being voiced by demonstrators and supporters of the anti-migrant movement centres around South Africa's unemployment crisis.
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The country's high unemployment figures are undeniable, and this, combined with deteriorating public services, has left many South African households destitute.
But researchers, migration experts and activists have long pointed out that blaming people from other African countries for unemployment and failing public services is not supported by the facts.
Justin Visagie, an economist working on migration at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, explained in a 19 June article why the logic of these claims doesn't hold up. He calculated that even if all foreign-born workers in formal and informal sector work disappeared, and those jobs (somehow) automatically transferred to South Africans who were born in the country, the unemployment rate would only fall slightly, and the country would still be in a crisis.
There is however evidence to suggest that migrants contribute to economic activity and job creation for South Africans, as Africa Check has discussed previously.
