When protest becomes a weapon: who really decides who gets to work in South Africa?

In a constitutional democracy, justice cannot depend on who shouts the loudest outside a factory gate. It must depend on the law. But as South Africa's unemployment crisis deepens, organisations like the Labour and Civic Organisation (LACO) are stepping into a space that belongs to the state — and the consequences could be dangerous for all workers, black and foreign alike.

LACO has claimed it helped place approximately 4,500 South Africans in jobs through campaigns that pressure businesses to prioritise local citizens. On the surface, this sounds like a response to a genuine national crisis. But beneath the rhetoric lies a troubling question: who gave them the authority to decide who works