Zimbabwean migration to South Africa: from myth to management [6 December 2009]

The migration of Zimbabweans has been a cause of great anxiety among many South African officials and citizens. While these movements raise challenges, if addressed pragmatically and compassionately, they can benefit South Africa and help promote Zimbabwe’s political and economic stability. An effective response will not come only from the South African government, but demands the involvement of potential employers, organized labour, civil society organizations and the ‘(wo)man in the street.’ For us to work together, we need to move beyond our fears and the myths that inform them to understand what is happening and what is at stake.

Is South Africa flooded with millions of Zimbabweans? From 2005 on, Zimbabweans have become the largest national group of migrants in the country. However, many of the numbers we see in the newspapers and in public debate are greatly exaggerated. While an exact count is impossible, calculations from several independent research institutions suggest there are between 1 and 1.5 million Zimbabweans in the country. This is a large number but a far cry from the 5 million we occasionally hear. We must also keep in mind that many Zimbabweans move in and out of the country for short periods of time.

Are all Zimbabweans illegal economic migrants? No, they are not. Zimbabweans come to South Africa for many different reasons. Many come for short visits to shop or see relatives and travel with a passport and visitor’s visas. Other Zimbabweans come on work or study permits. Over the past three years, many have also applied for asylum and received asylum seeker permits which allow them to live and work in South Africa. A few have full refugee status, reflecting the government’s recognition that they have fled political persecution. Since the introduction of the free visa in April 2009, fewer Zimbabweans are entering the country without documents, but some still struggle with the costs and delays of getting a passport issued in Zimbabwe and continue to ‘jump the border.’

When will the Zimbabweans go home? Movements in and out of South Africa are unlikely to stop any time soon. There has been movement between South Africa and its neighbours for generations and although the nature will change as the Zimbabwean economy and its politics continue to stabilize, people are unlikely to stop moving. Nor should they. The reconstruction of Zimbabwe’s formal economy and basic public services is likely to take several years and policies that allow for easier legal border crossing will help promote remittances and trade needed for recovery. Indeed, ongoing process of regional integration through SADC are intended to achieve just that.

Are we managing? South Africa’s record in managing Zimbabwean migration is mixed. The government has recognized that only legal migration can be managed and so has introduced the free visa and the moratorium on deportations to Zimbabwe since April 2009. A ‘special dispensation permit’ allowing undocumented Zimbabweans to stay and work legally was announced in April and would be another positive step in this direction, although this has not yet been implemented. A key management challenge, however, remains the implementation of existing policies. Protecting South African jobs and labour standards, for example, will not be achieved by trying to limit Zimbabwean access to the labour market but rather by effectively enforcing existing laws which require minimum labour standards for all. Similarly, public health and public safety will only be protected once everyone has access to clinics and the police without fear of being turned away, as stated in the Constitution. Supporting and monitoring the implementation of such policies is where civil society and the person in the street can play an important role in supporting the government to manage migration in the interests of the country and region.