A dissertation submitted to the Global Labour University in conformity with the requirements of a MA in Labour Policy and Globalisation School of Social Sciences Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg March 2016 / Understanding the subjective views of low skilled marginalised workers who occupy bottom ends of labour markets and are implicated in everyday precarious living and working conditions is crucial for advancing scholarship on precarity. This qualitative study grounded in a phenomenological theoretical framework highlights the disconnects between the academic understandings of precarity and an understanding of precariousness from Zimbabwean migrant security guards’ own perspective in South Africa’s Private Security Industry (PSI), Gauteng Province. Relying on data collected through a combination of an ethnographic experience in 2014 and in-depth face to face interviews I conducted from June 2015, this study examines the perceptions that migrant security guards have on precarity, the strategies and tactics they employ to navigate everyday precarious working and living conditions and most importantly, the rationale behind these workers continued stay and work under precarious situations. As workers with precarious backgrounds, the findings of this study reveals that migrant security guards treat wage employment instrumentally, a source of their livelihood that has led to improvements in their standards of living as interpreted by them. The strategies and tactics employed by these workers either individually or collectively are therefore rationally and tactically crafted so as not directly challenge and disrupt the existing structures (state, capital and law) but instead to survive within these structures so as not to jeopardise their main source of livelihood-wage employment. For migrant security guards, wage employment remains a vital tool for meeting their varied socio-economic and political objectives. This study therefore led to the conclusion that there is generally a mismatch between academic conceptualisation of precarity and the way marginalised and low skilled labour migrants interpret and understand circumstances. / GR2017

Research Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a Master of Arts Degree in Development studies by Coursework and Research Report. Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand 2016 / This study explored cash circulation channels adopted by unbanked migrants in Pretoria Central Business District (CBD), South Africa. To understand the complex nature of cash circulation and the subjective practices of migrants, in-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen migrants selected through snowballing sampling. Collected primary data were analysed thematically, from particular to general themes depending on the responses provided by the informants. The study adopted the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) as an analytical tool to show how in the face of structural and institutional barriers, unbanked migrants have the capability to adopt digital solutions and socially embedded channels which are more flexible and sustainable in their livelihoods. These include informal channels such as hawala, malaichas and digital solutions like Kawena and Mukuru. By using this framework, the report reveals what unbanked migrants are doing on the ground, what shapes adopted cash circulation processes and the resultant livelihood outcomes. The study aimed at contributing to previous research on money transfer mechanisms adopted by unbanked African migrants. The conclusion reached is that, by adopting various socially embedded cash circulation channels, unbanked migrants circumvent structural constraints and, by so doing, financially include more people who were previously excluded. Although the study was limited to a small sample, it raises strong implications for policy makers to look at the inherent strength of migrants as development actors. Findings from this exploratory study are critical in that they open new niches for research on migrants and financial exclusion in Africa and beyond. / GR2017

With South Africa attaining democratic status in 1994 and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People‟s Republic of China a “new wave” of Chinese migration into the country began (Park, 2009). Although the Chinese migrants and their business enterprises are visible on the streets of Durban's city centre and surrounding towns, their lives seem shrouded with secrecy. This study was therefore conducted with the aim of understanding the social and economic lives of the Chinese traders living and working in the city of Durban. Interviews and participant observation methods were utilised in order to obtain qualitative data. The analysis of the data indicates that the main priority of traders is to grow their business in order to prosper; therefore their social and economic activities revolve round the activity of trading. Although crime and language barriers deter Chinese migrants from being more active within South African society, their "Chinese shops‟ serve as spaces where they negotiate relationships with diverse people, including their workers and customers. Social, distribution and supply networks are also found to be imperative in order for migrants to effectively conduct their business. It was also noted that social networks, knowledge of the English language, positive experiences in the host country and length of time spent in the country contributes to traders adapting to South Africa. This study also indicates that the future of Chinese migrants in South Africa hinges on the micro and macro conditions of the host country, traders overcoming language barriers as well as maintenance of social networks that provide support to the migrant trader. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This is a qualitative study which seeks to understand how Somali shop owners run successful businesses in the township of Soweto in South Africa. This research report has three sections, namely (1) the academic paper which comprises a shortened literature review, the research method, findings, and the discussion; (2) an extended literature review and (3) the research methodology. It is important to mention that these three sections are related and not necessarily stand-alone sections. Despite the hostilities faced by the Somali shop owners from the host communities in South Africa, it is notable that they are successful, small-sized entrepreneurs in most townships of South Africa (SA). Previous research on Somalis has predominantly focused on their assimilation into the societies in their host countries, and on how they are led into self-employment because of the unfavourable labour markets in the host country. In this vein, there is a need to understand how they run successful businesses in the townships of SA. This study seeks to answer the following research question: How Do Somali Shop Owners Succeed in Running Businesses in Soweto, South Africa (SA)? In pursuit of answers to the above research question, this study was confined to three locations in Soweto, namely Orlando West, Chiawelo and Rockville which have a relatively high number of Somali entrepreneurs who have been in operation for longer than three years. This qualitative study explored the multiple perspectives of reality of Somali shop owners. Purposively, 14 Somali shop owners were identified initially using purposive sampling. Subsequently, theoretical sampling was used to identify Somali shop owners who were interviewed regarding how they successfully run their businesses in the locations of Orlando West, Chiawelo and Rockville in the township of Soweto. A total of eighteen semi-structured, in-depth and face-to-face interviews were conducted with these shop owners as a means of gathering data to the point of saturating their perspectives. Data collection ceased when new perspectives were no longer evident as interviewees were being repetitive. Open-coding and constant comparison was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study show that ethnicity plays a predominant role in the success of the Somali shop owners. The intra-ethnic networks and trust-based support systems are pivotal to how Somali shop owners run successful businesses in Soweto. The key findings manifested showed that various forms of support came from Somali communities, family and fellow countrymen which were also central to their success. Another key finding showed that Somali shop owners run their businesses by complementing, rather than predominantly competing with the other local businesses, which ultimately differentiates them in this way. The study also revealed that responsiveness to local customer needs by enhancing the value of their business to the locality is also characteristic of how Somali shop owners build customer loyalty. This study contributes to our understanding of how Somali entrepreneurs conduct successful businesses in a hostile host country. The findings have implications for business development training and programmes which support immigrant entrepreneurs. The findings may also be extended to inform how business development programmes would be designed to equally support local entrepreneurs.

M.A. (Geography) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

South Africa has long been associated with racial and ethnic issues surrounding prejudice and discrimination and despite a move post-1994 to a democratic ‘rainbow nation’ society, the country has remained plagued by unequal power relations. One such instance of inequality relates to the marginalisation of migrants which has been realised through xenophobic attitudes and actions, most notably the violence that swept across the country in 2008. Several reasons have been suggested in an attempt to explain the cause of the violence, including claims that migrants are taking ‘our jobs and our women’, migrants are ‘illegal and criminal’ and bringing ‘disease and contamination’ with them from their countries of origin. Although widely accepted that many, if not all, of these beliefs are based on ignorance and hearsay, these extensive generalisations shape and reinforce prejudiced ideologies about migrant communities. It is thus only when confronted with evidence that challenges this dominant discourse, that South Africans are able to reconsider their views. Williams (2008) suggests that for many South Africans, Africa continues to be the ‘dark continent’ that is seen as an ominous, threatening force of which they have very little knowledge. For this reason, anti-immigrant sentiment in a South African context has traditionally been directed at African foreigners. In this study I examine the ways in which African migrants and migrant communities, as well as the overall processes of migration, are depicted by selected South African print media: City Press, Mail & Guardian and Sunday Times. Using a combined Corpus Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis approach, I investigate the following questions: How are migrants and the process of migration into South Africa represented by these established newspapers between 2006 and 2010? Are there any differences or similarities between these representations? In particular, what ideologies regarding migrants and migrant communities underlie these representations? My analysis focuses on the landscape of public discourse about migration with an exploration of the rise and fall of the terminologies used to categorise migrants and the social implications of these classifications. Additionally, I analyse the expansive occurrences of negative representations of migrants, particularly through the use of ‘othering’ pronouns ‘us’ versus ‘them’ and through the use of metaphorical language which largely depicts these individuals as en masse natural disasters. I conclude that these discursive elements play a crucial role in contributing to an overall xenophobic rhetoric. Despite subtle differences between the three newspapers which can be accounted for based on their political persuasions and agendas, it is surprising to note how aligned these publications are with regard to their portrayal of migrants. With a few exceptions, this representation positions these individuals as powerless and disenfranchised and maintains the status quo view of migrants as burdens on the South African economy and resources. Overall, the newspaper articles contribute to mainstream dominant discourse on migrants and migration with the underlying ideology that migrants are responsible for the hardships suffered by South African citizens. Thus, this study contributes significantly to existing bodies of research detailing discourse on migrants and emphasises the intrinsic links between language, ideology and society.

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.

This study was undertaken to investigate the motivation, intention, self-efficacy, culture, business support,entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of South African and immigrant entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gauteng province. The performance of the SMEs was investigated, and the reasons and gaps that have led to the assumed low competitive ranking and poor performance of South African entrepreneurs compared to immigrant entrepreneurs were analysed. A structured research instrument (questionnaire) was used to collect data through interviews and a self-administered survey. A total of 466 questionnaires out of 500 questionnaires that had been distributed to respondents by six fieldworkers were returned (93.2%) for analysis.A number of hypotheses were postulated to address the study aims and the collected data were analysed to answer the hypotheses. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between motivation and business performance (a motivated entrepreneur is more likely to succeed in business than an unmotivated entrepreneur) and a significant positive correlation between culture and motivation to start a business (a culture that is supportive of entrepreneurial activities, lowuncertainty avoidance, high individualism and lowpower distance relates positively to a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy).The results also showed a significant difference between the mean values of business performance and the education of the owner. It is suggested that the government creates a favourable climate to allow entrepreneurs to release their potential. The government can help by making complex legislation easier for start-ups and reducing the tax burden on new entrepreneurs. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

This study was undertaken to investigate the motivation, intention, self-efficacy, culture, business support,entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of South African and immigrant entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gauteng province. The performance of the SMEs was investigated, and the reasons and gaps that have led to the assumed low competitive ranking and poor performance of South African entrepreneurs compared to immigrant entrepreneurs were analysed. A structured research instrument (questionnaire) was used to collect data through interviews and a self-administered survey. A total of 466 questionnaires out of 500 questionnaires that had been distributed to respondents by six fieldworkers were returned (93.2%) for analysis.A number of hypotheses were postulated to address the study aims and the collected data were analysed to answer the hypotheses. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between motivation and business performance (a motivated entrepreneur is more likely to succeed in business than an unmotivated entrepreneur) and a significant positive correlation between culture and motivation to start a business (a culture that is supportive of entrepreneurial activities, lowuncertainty avoidance, high individualism and lowpower distance relates positively to a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy).The results also showed a significant difference between the mean values of business performance and the education of the owner. It is suggested that the government creates a favourable climate to allow entrepreneurs to release their potential. The government can help by making complex legislation easier for start-ups and reducing the tax burden on new entrepreneurs. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

The purpose of the study was to locate the informal hiring sites for day labourers in Tshwane, to determine the approximate number of day labourers, to describe the nature of socio-economic activities taking place at the sites, and to make recommendations to address needs that have been identified. The research approach and methodology was exploratory, descriptive, quantitative and qualitative. In terms of the findings, 80 informal hiring sites were identified in Tshwane with approximately 3032 day labourers standing at the sites. Case studies were done on three sites and it was found that they were hazardous and lacked basic facilities such as shelter and toilets. Employer-employee interactions were also found to be haphazard and sometimes manipulative and exploitative. It is recommended that intervention programmes should be implemented which could include the provision of basic facilities, skills development, job search assistance and access to comprehensive social services. / Health Studies / M.A. (Social Science - Mental Health)