Thesis (DPhil (Sociology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate a group of Francophone African migrants in Cape Town during the decade following the end of the apartheid era. The focus of the thesis, however, is on the reasons why French-speaking Africans leave their countries of origin, the reasons for coming to South Africa, and finally the reasons why within South Africa, they decide to settle in Cape Town, with a particular accent put on the integration of these migrants into the local society. The thesis considers legal migrants, students, refugees and extra-legals as the four categories of migrants according to theoretical frameworks. A brief overview of selected theories of international migration is considered to provide a framework for the Francophone African migration to Cape Town. The theoretical causes of Francophone African migration are viewed through both theories on the initiation of migration and theories of the perpetuation of migration. Apart from the theoretical synopsis, the data on which this study is based are derived from both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches. Alongside secondary sources, a series of interviews, based on categories of migrants and gender, were conducted in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa, as well as in Libreville in Gabon. In-depth interviews and focus-groups aimed at collecting information concerning the three main questions of the study. The reasons for the departure of Francophone Africans from their countries of origin are complex and mainly depend on the categories of migrants. As far as legal migrants and students are concerned, economic, political, social and academic paralysis, career prospects and the desire to pursue studies are the main reasons. As for refugees and extralegals, armed conflicts, environmental catastrophes, economic and social deterioration and social capital seem to be the main causes. Since 1994, South Africa has claimed a strong leadership role on the continent because of its economic and political strengths. Educational infrastructure, the language factor and social capital are also reasons why migrants choose South Africa as a host country. The settlement in Cape Town depends on various factors, including the consideration of the city as first choice, safety concerns in other South African cities, the inability to settle in other cities, particularly Johannesburg, and social networks. French language seems to be a common language identity linking various ethnic groups residing in Francophone Africa. However, once migrants have established themselves in Cape Town, their ethnic, religious or political identities prevail. The thesis analyses the settlement of migrants in Cape Town by pointing out the complexities of migrant life in a case study of each category considered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het ten doel om ‘n groep Franssprekende Afrika migrante in Kaapstad, in die dekade wat direk op die einde van die apartheidsera gevolg het, te ondersoek. Die tesis fokus op die redes waarom Franssprekende Afrikane hulle land van oorsprong verlaat, die redes waarom hulle na Suid-Afrika kom en, laastens, die redes waarom hulle in Suid-Afrika besluit om in Kaapstad te bly – die klem is spesifiek op die integrasie van die migrante binne die plaaslike gemeenskap. Na aanleiding van die teoretiese raamwerke wat vir die studie oorweeg word, neem die tesis wettige migrante, studente, vlugtelinge en onwettige migrante as die vier kategorieë van migrante, in ag. ’n Bondige oorsig van uitgesoekte teorieë vir internasionale migrasie word as raamwerk vir die Franssprekende Afrikane se migrasie na Kaapstad oorweeg. Die teoretiese oorsake vir Franssprekende Afrikane se migrasie word deur beide die teorieë vir die inisiasie vir migrasie en die teorieë vir die bestendiging vir migrasie beoordeel. Naas die teoretiese sinopsis, word die data waarop hierdie studie gebaseer is, van beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodologiese benaderinge afgelei. Aanvullend tot die sekondêre bronne, is daar ook ‘n reeks onderhoude, gebaseer op kategorieë van migrante en geslag, in Kaapstad, Johannesburg en Pretoria in Suid-Afrika asook in Libreville in Gabon, gevoer – in diepte onderhoude en fokusgroepe met die doel om inligting rakende die drie hoofkwessies van die studie in te win. Die redes vir die emigrasie van Franssprekende Afrikane uit hulle oorsprongsland is kompleks en hang grotendeels saam met die kategorieë van migrante. Wat die wettige migrante en studente aanbetref is ekonomiese, politieke, sosiale en akademiese magteloosheid, loopbaan vooruitsigte en die begeerte vir die nastreef van studies, die hoofredes. Vir vlugtelinge en onwettige migrante blyk die hoofoorsake dié van gewapende konflik, natuurrampe, ekonomiese en sosiale agteruitgang en sosiale kapitaal te wees. Sedert 1994, het Suid-Afrika, weens haar ekonomiese en politieke vermoëns, ’n sterk leierskapsrol op die kontinent uitgeoefen. Opvoedkundige infrastrukture, die taalkwessie en sosiale kapitaal is nog redes waarom migrante Suid-Afrika as gasheerland uitsonder. Vestiging in Kaapstad hang van verskeie redes af, insluitende die inagneming van die stad as eerste keuse, veiligheidsaspekte in ander Suid-Afrikaanse stede en die onvermoë om in ander stede gevestig te word. Die klem in hierdie verband rus veral op Johannesburg en sosiale netwerke. Frans as taal skyn ‘n algemene identiteit te wees wat verskeie etniese groepe in Franssprekende Afrika met mekaar verbind. Tog is dit hulle etniese, godsdienstige en politieke identiteit wat gehandhaaf word sodra migrante hulself in Kaapstad gevestig het. Die tesis analiseer ook die vestiging van migrante in Kaapstad deur die kompleksiteite binne die leeftydsmigrasie van ’n gevallestudie vir elke kategorie in ag te neem.

There has been a significant increase in immigrant learners in South African schools. This research study captures the experiences of immigrant learners in selected inner city schools of Johannesburg. The May 2008 xenophobic violence prompted the researcher to investigate the extent of xenophobia. A survey of immigrant learners, South African learners and educators was conducted by means of interviews that allowed the research participants to express their feelings and experiences regarding the phenomenon of xenophobia. The result of the study revealed that immigrant learners do experience xenophobia in various forms by South African learners and, in some cases, educators as well. Immigrant learners were predominantly exposed to prejudice and xenophobic comments. They perceived South Africa as positive, giving them hope and opportunities. This research provided a baseline for more extensive research into this phenomenon. / Thesis (M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

A Thesis Submitted to the School of Social Sciences, in the Faculty of Humanities, in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Studies THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA NOVEMBER 2014 / This thesis is the culmination of medical aid work and 24 one-on-one interviews with undocumented Mexican women in the U.S.A. and Zimbabwean women in South Africa seeking lifesaving emergency healthcare access. The theoretical research combined with practitioner-based fieldwork, shows the direct and deplorable effects of xenophobic policies coupled with a demonstrable failure to enforce healthcare access rights.

African immigrants in contemporary South Africa can be perceived as a problem – the threatening other. Based on a case study of the Johannesburg inner city, this thesis aims to deconstruct this notion. It does so by investigating the nature and types and contribution of African immigrant traders` businesses to the Johannesburg inner city. In deconstructing the perception that African immigrants are the threatening other, and being infinitely aware that perception issues and the experiential realities hospitable to its centred on the human subject, this case study adopted a humanist geographic and critical realist approach by deploying a qualitative in-depth interview technique of both African immigrant and South African traders. This thesis suggests three important outcomes. The first is that: to view all African immigrants as the threatening other is too simplistic an assessment of an otherwise complex and dynamic set of relationships and interrelationships amongst and between African immigrant and South African traders. Second, some African immigrant traders do make a meaningful contribution to the Johannesburg inner city, whereas others do not. Third, the activities of African immigrant traders that may be considered as a threat by a section of the population are treated as a benefit by another. These nuanced insights and findings in this study not only render any analysis that projects all African immigrants negatively as an incomplete appraisal, but also suggest that it can never be correct to view them as such without capturing the dynamics that this work suggests. Such a finding not only challenges distorted and partial reporting by the media and also questions policies, which may be built on the wrong assumption that all African immigrants are a problem, but also extends the study of migration related issues in a South African context. / Geography / D. Litt. et. Phil. (Geography)

In the past decade Zimbabwe has experienced serious economic and political challenges, forcing many to flee in search of better employment opportunities and lifestyles. This research, conducted in Tshwane Gauteng, aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of Zimbabwean economic migrants’ experiences and challenges in relocating and adjusting in South Africa. Employing a qualitative approach, semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data which were analysed using Tesch’s framework (in Creswell, 2009:186). The ethical considerations of informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality, debriefing, guidelines for dealing with research data and record management, and honesty with professional colleagues were applied in the research. The research confirms that most Zimbabweans relocated to South Africa for economic reasons and their social and family situations were affected. Challenges were experienced with government officials, in terms of employment, accommodation, education, health services, travelling and with banking institutions. Language barriers and differences in cultural beliefs and values impacted negatively on participants’ socialisation and adjustment. The research shows an alarming lack of social work visibility. The researcher recommends that social work should accept that economic migrants are part of their clientele / Social Work / M.S.W. (Social Work)

The thesis analyses forms and levels of social exclusion of Zimbabwean migrants in the South African labour market and society. The research reveals that migrants face social exclusion through unruly practices of public officials and institutional bias. At community and individual level migrants are devalued and stigmatised by the local South Africans and other Zimbabwean migrants. To some extent Zimbabwean migrants participate in their own exclusion as they are divided along regional and ethnic lines. The thesis proposes an analytical framework for understanding the social exclusion of Zimbabwean migrants emphasising on how devaluation of migrant identity narrows the existing structure of opportunity, leading to various coping mechanisms some of which are deviant. The thesis proposes a moral and pragmatic view in understanding the social exclusion of migrants from a cosmopolitan perspective where migrants are citizens of a global world. Using a qualitative methodology the research provides an in-depth analysis of the life histories of fifty eight (58) ‘documented’ and ‘undocumented’ Zimbabwean men and women in Kempton Park and Tembisa. The research was carried out in 2012. Migrants respond to social exclusion by using social capital in the form of family/kinship, ethnic and church networks. Zimbabweans mainly rely on bonding rather than bridging social capital. To a greater extent, migrant networks help them to ‘get by’ and simply survive. The few that have managed to ‘get ahead’, have made use of networks with South African residents and other individuals outside their migrant network systems. These have facilitated acquisition of fake identity documents, jobs and other necessities. Family networks are beginning to repel migrants because of the economic pressures they face leading to the weakening of ties among Zimbabwean migrant family members. / Sociology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

This descriptive study investigates the link between religion, (institutional and private) identity (ethnic and personal) and the community (Portuguese and South African) in the context of religious and cultural pluralism. It analyses sixteen Portuguese women in Durban - nine Roman Catholics, five Protestants and two agnostic and it is executed within the framework of the theory of conditionalism or 'radical relationality', as expounded by J.S. Kruger. The religious practice, experience and identity of the participants are explored, and their social integration as well as famiIy and marital relationships (with special reference to submissiveness) are examined in the light of Catholic Feminist theology. The influence of their experiences on their religion and vice-versa, as well as the fluidity of their identities are analysed. The. results of the study highlight the paradoxical role of religion, as well as a decline in ethnic identity and Catholicism. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. Th. (Religious Studies)

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Many people from African countries immigrate to South Africa because they perceive South Africa as a country which offers many opportunities and an advanced standard of living. Although immigrants often resort to entrepreneurial activities as a means of survival when few other options are available to them, increasing numbers of African immigrants are coming to South Africa with the express intention of starting businesses in the country. An unfortunate consequence of their entrepreneurial success in the SMME sector in South Africa has been manifested in outbreaks of xenophobic violence which have targeted entrepreneurs in the townships of South Africa. African immigrants are widely perceived to pose threats to the livelihoods of South Africans, either by invading local labour markets or putting South African entrepreneurs in the SMME sector out of business because of the competitive edge which their businesses often enjoy over those of their South African counterparts. Relatively little emphasis has been given to the socio-economic contribution which African immigrant entrepreneurs make, by providing employment to South Africans in the face of alarmingly high rates of unemployment in South Africa and by contributing directly to the South African economy through the payment of taxes. The researcher formulated this research study to determine how African immigrants identify and exploit business opportunities in South Africa by studying a group of African immigrant entrepreneurs in the township of Nomzamo in Strand, which lies some 50 kilometres to the southeast of Cape Town. The significance of this study lies in the fact that, to date, there has been relatively little research concerning this research topic and also in the contention that obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the successful business practices of African immigrant entrepreneurs could play a very meaningful role in improving the performance of South African entrepreneurs in the SMME sector and in normalising relationships between immigrant communities and South African population groups in the townships of South Africa.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Entrepreneurial activities are very evident within the Cape Metropole as the proliferation of small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) will attest. The most recent literature confirms the preponderance of immigrants in these economic activities. This phenomenon is unfolding against the backdrop of the contingent of challenges which they face which are not limited to discrimination, limited access to finance from formal financial institutions, inadequate skills, and language barriers. The limited access which they have to obtaining finance from formal financial institutions constitutes one of the most significant obstacles for many immigrant entrepreneurs. There is evidence to suggest that in response to this state of affairs, immigrants resort to unconventional means to obtain finance for their entrepreneurial activities. It has been found that, immigrants form self-help financial associations which are known as stokvels in South Africa as a means of obtaining the finances which are needed for the start-ups and even for the growth of their businesses. In fact, it could be asserted that the inability of immigrant entrepreneurs to obtain loans from commercial banks and other related financial institutions has resulted directly in the creation of immigrant-run informal financial institutions such as stokvels. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to assess the role which stokvels which are known in Cameroon as “njangis” or “tontines”, play in the start-ups and growth of businesses which are owned by Cameroonian immigrants in the Cape Metropole. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches and research methods were used to conduct this study. The quantitative and qualitative data was collected through the administration of a questionnaire and the conducting of face-to face interviews respectively, owing to the nature of the target population. The data which was collected from the respondents who completed the questionnaires was captured, categorised and analysed in relation to the research questions through the use of SPSS statistical software and the findings were presented in the form of frequency tables and pie charts. The study ascertained that “njangis” play a very important role in the businesses of Cameroonian immigrants and in their daily lives as they are not only a source of capital for the start-ups and expansion of the businesses of their members, but they also provide a means of saving money, as most of them do not have access to bank accounts. According to some of the respondents, some of the “njangis” even serve as forums for discussing business ideas. Like most other organisations, stokvels have their own unique challenges, which will be discussed comprehensively in Chapter Four, particularly with respect to the methods which are employed to overcome them. It is the considered opinion of the researcher that it is in the domain of entrepreneurship in particular that South African citizens could learn a great deal from immigrants from other African countries about the successful starting and running of small, medium and micro sized businesses as recent literature has demonstrated quite conclusively the significant contribution which their entrepreneurial enterprises make to the development of the South African economy, in terms of both earning revenue for the South African government and providing employment to South African citizens.

This thesis seeks to investigate Senegalese migrants' experiences of xenophobia in South Africa. It explores prevailing theories used to explain the phenomenon of xenophobia and uses data collected via anthropological fieldwork to support arguments made. It is argued that a culture of migration in Senegal and the significance of migration as a rite of passage in Senegalese masculinity assists migrants to orientate themselves in host countries, and influences the way Senegalese are „received‟ by South Africans. In addition, Senegalese Islam (Sufi Orientation), which organises its members into brotherhoods, assists in the social integration of Senegalese men in Port Elizabeth. The men belong to the Mouride Brotherhood and the thesis shows how membership to the brotherhood provides a strong network of support for migrant men without resulting in the enclaving of the men in the broader social and economic context of Port Elizabeth. This has important implications for the individual and collective migration experience of Senegalese and influences the men's creation of meaning in their experiences as migrants. The thesis makes use of the concept of transnationalism to analyse the complex and multifaceted nature of transnational migration, arguing that migration experiences are influenced by a range of transnational factors and is deeply culturally influenced. The research suggests that migration experts and government departments in South Africa should take these complexities into account when formulating new programmes and policies for migrants.