ASSIGNMENT Migration

ASSIGNMENT
Write a profile of migration population.
 Provide history of that migrant population

 Offer statistics about who constitutes this population.
 Highlight some of the key contemporary issues faced by this population.
 Identify gaps in research literature on this population
Introduction
The issue of migration dates back from the garden of Eden in the biblical side and from the
Charles Darwin evolution of man. One or more in a Zimbabwean family thirsts to have a feel of
the other side of Limpopo despite the challenges faced by one on the way to that adjudged green
pastures but only concerned by the pushing and pulling reasons. The writer is going to explore
on the history of the Zimbabwean population that travelled to South Africa , their statistics,
contemporary issues faced by Zimbabweans in South Africa and also expound on the gaps in
research literatures . In bringing out the whole motive behind the migration, the writer is also
going to include a number of migration theories which includes the world systems theory, push
and pull theory, and any other the writer sees fit to explain.
Definition of terms
Migration- according to the IOM Migration Framework (2012), migration refers to the
movement of persons away from their place of usual residence, either across an international
border or within a state. The oxford English dictionary refers migration as the movement of
persons from one area to another. Therefore migration is concerned with the movement from one
place to another either temporary or permanently.
Migrant -The IOM defines a migrant as “any person who is moving or has moved across an
international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of
the person’s legal status, whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary, what the causes for
the movement are or what the length of the stay is.” The UNHCR and the 1951 Refugee
Convention defines migration including that of a refugee and the economic migrants who flee to
improve their situations. Therefore a migrant includes any person who moves from one place to
another either voluntarily or involuntarily for a temporary or permanent basis.
Immigrant- according to the UN-DESA, Recommendations on statistics of international
migration revision 1(1998:12) ‘a person who moves to a country other than that of his usual
residence for a period of at least one year so that the country of destination becomes the new
country of usual residence”. Therefore an immigrant is one who is living in another country or
place not his original country or place.
Emigrant – according to the UN-DESA, Recommendations on Statistics of International

Migration Revision 1 (1998:12) “from the perspective of the country of departure, a person who
move from his or her country of residence or nationality to another country that the new country
becomes his new country of residence,
History of migration to South Africa by Zimbabweans
Movement of people out of Zimbabwe to South Africa dates back to the 1860s where a discovery
of gold in Witwatersrand and diamond in Orange Free State where the demand for cheap labor in
the mining industry during the Apartheid era, McDonald (2007). This movement then later
transformed into creation of a generation that knew the area and some came back home
connecting others to that side. The networking theory that originates the linkage of kins to
sources of better living comes into effect as the need for labor was demanding in the mining
ndustry back then.
The exodus of people from Zimbabwe to South Africa was later precipitated by the economic
and political turmoil that bedeviled the nation since the 1990s that led to a number of family
members having either one or a number out of the country either for refuge or in search of
fending for the family, Landau (2007). That is the time when the nation was faced with
depression and retrenchments were the order of the day as the industry was defunct. This is also
the time the
These emigrants would usually use unofficial entry points to enter south africa to evade arrest
and deportation as some would not be having proper documents to allow them entry, Danso @&
McDonald 2000, Tevera and Zinyama, 2002. Further to the formation of the opposition party in
the 1990s couple with persistent drought in Zimbabwe, persecution of the opposition became
rampant that forced some to abandon their country of residence to settle in south Africa
permanently and others temporary.
The deterioration of economic conditions in Zimbabwe that led to high unemployment and low
salaries caused people failure to cope with the hardships hence the decision to migrate (crush and
Williams 2005, ILO 1998: 8, IOM 2005:2-4). The engagement into cross border trading where
south Africa was the fertile ground of ordering wares became the source of life especially to the
incapacitated women and a few men joined the trade.
The push and pull model of migration where push factors which included hunger, rising cost of
goods, poverty and hardships are referred to as push factors while employment opportunities,
better wages and access to consumer goods than in the country of origin (Maharaj 200: 2, IOM
2005: 1-2) best describes the situation of migration of Zimbabweans where at home was a
burning hunger while in south Africa employment opportunities were lucrative. According to
Tevera and Zinyama 2002, the highest number of immigrants that crosses the border is in
December where they will be visiting their families back home with the produce of their work.
Also the neo- which is mainly focused on the driving energy to seek for greener pastures drove
zimbabweans into migrating to south Africa in search of employment opportunities and better
economic conditions that included cheaper food stuffs and health facilities.
From the apartheid era, male Zimbabweans were synonymous with crossing the border to south
Africa in search of employment opportunities a alluded by tevera, Daniel S, zinyama lovemore
2002. But in contrary to this notion, the composition included young males and girls who found
the industry in their country of residence dilapidated and being due for employment and went out
to fill the labor market of south Africa. The statistics as to the exact number of migrants living in
south Africa Hs never been correctly captured as a lot of these migrants do not have proper
documentation and often use undesignated entry points. The estimated figures from the
migration policy briefs, 22, Cape Town South Africa of 2011 gave an estimate of 5 million
immigrants including those who were deported.
Due to the influx of foreign immigrants in south Africa, the nationals of that country felt
threatened by the number of foreigners in their country where skilled personnel are employed in
place of the south Africans (crush 2008). This conflict led to serious disorders and violence
towards foreigners that led to xenophobic attacks in may 2008 in Alexander and soshangube.
The same xenophobic attacks continued in separated areas since then up to the Covid 19
pandemic where foreigners were also accused of bringing disease and stealing jobs for South
Africans that led to retaliation of Nigerians in their country for the attacks on their nationals.
References
IOM, “IOM Definition of ‘Migrant,’” 15 March 2016,

https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/aboutiom/
1. IOM-definition-of-a-migrant-15March2016.pdf.

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ASSIGNMENT

Write a profile of migration population.

 Provide history of that migrant population

Emigrant – according to the UN-DESA, Recommendations on Statistics of International

History of migration to South Africa by Zimbabweans

IOM, “IOM Definition of ‘Migrant,’” 15 March 2016,

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