ACMS 2011. Launch of the SALGA report on “Governing Migration & Urbanisation in South African Municipalities”. [press release] 20 June 2011.
Submitted by Becca Hartman on June 20, 2011 - 20:52
Date: 
20 June 2011

Launch of the SALGA report on “Governing Migration & Urbanisation in South African Municipalities”

“Citizenship and asylum laws must remain national, but there is a growing need for increased attention to sub national actors. Cities and provinces need to recognize that they can, and indeed should be encouraged to, actively advocate for an immigration regime that helps foster inclusion and service delivery for all residents - working in collaboration with national, provincial, and neighbouring local government officials.”
-(Loren Landau, Director, African Centre for Migration and Society , Wits University, 2011)

The South African Local Government Association and the Wits University African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS, previously referred to as the Forced Migration Studies Programme - FMSP) are launching a report on Local Government’s role in planning for migration, which will be held at the:

George Local Municipality
Wednesday, 22nd of June 2011
from 09:30 – 13:00, George, Western Cape.

This launch is supported by the Presidency-European Union-funded Programme to Support Pro-poor Policy Development in South Africa (PSPPD) and the ‘Migrating Out of Poverty’ (MOoP) Research Consortium.

At a time when Local Government is increasingly faced with the daily management of human mobility and its political and socio-economic consequences, SALGA and ACMS joined efforts to explore the state of municipal stakeholders’ perceptions.

The launch of this report will provide an opportunity to discuss the key findings and recommendations on challenges facing Local Government in the management of mobility. In particular the following key areas for intervention shall be explored:

  • Data Collection and Management at the Local Level
  • Use of Data in Municipal Policy, Planning and Budgeting
  • Improved Coordination in Migration Management
  • Continuous Research and Development on Human Mobility

Local Government and civil society organizations have been specifically targeted for this launch to open dialogue on how best Local Government can embody its developmental role in planning for both longerterm and transient city-dwellers. Present at the launch will be George Xolile, SALGA CEO , Councillor Wolmarans, Deputy Chairperson of SALGA Western Cape and Executive Mayor of Knysna and Councillor Petrus , Executive Mayor of George Local Municipality, Nkhahle Acting Executive Director SALGA and senior researchers Dr. Aurelia Segatti and Jean Pierre Misago of African Centre for Migration & Society.

We invite all media houses to attend the launch of the SALGA report which presents an avenue for the Media, Local Government, Civil Society Organizations and Researchers to discuss the way forward on taking proactive steps towards addressing challenges raised by human mobility.

For confirmation or more information contact Nomusa Ngwenya (SALGA) on Tel: (+27) 012 369 8100, Fax: (+27) 012 369 8001, Cell: (+27) 0 83 628 93 60, Email: nngwenya@salga.org.za or Sharon Mina Olago (African Centre for Migration & Society) on Tel: (+27 717 4697, Cell: (+27) 0 78 610 4527 sharon.olago@wits.ac.za. The report and case studies can be accessed online at www.migration.org.za and www.salga.net.

Associated with person(s): 
Sharon Mina
Associated with person(s): 
Aurelia Segatti
Associated with person(s): 
Jean Pierre Misago
Associated with project: 
Research Programme Consortium – Moving Out of Poverty (2010-2015; Department for International Development / University of Sussex; Loren Landau & Aurelia Segatti: Coordination of Policy Theme)