TB and Migration: Is South Africa’s Health System Ready Opening: Snapshot & Case Study In 2023, South Africa recorded roughly 270,000 new tuberculosis (TB) cases and an estimated 56,000 deaths. (tbac.org.za) Although the country reduced TB incidence by 51% since 2015, the burden remains high. South Africa also hosts a large migrant population. The 2022 […]
Between Borders and Barriers: What Mozambican Migrants Face in Accessing HIV Treatment in South Africa Opening: When Borders Block Lifesaving Care In a cramped hostel on the edge of Johannesburg, a 34-year-old Mozambican miner — Pedro — skipped his monthly clinic appointment. His employer refused him time off, and his identity document lacked updated work
The Double-Edged Sword: How Cross-Border Migration of Zimbabwean Healthcare Workers Affects South Africa’s Public Healthcare System Opening: A Crisis at the Crossroads When Documentation Denies Life-Saving Care In December 2023, a gunshot shattered Zweli’s leg. The pseudonymous Zimbabwean national had just finished his part-time job in Pretoria’s Nellmapius suburb. When the ambulance arrived, he faced
Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Adaptation in South Africa Introduction: Adapting Locally in a Changing Climate Climate change is reshaping lives across South Africa. Droughts, floods, and heat waves now threaten food security and public health. However, not every community chooses to move. Many people adapt in place by using indigenous knowledge systems (IKS)—ancestral ways of
Economic Opportunities in Managing Climate Migration: Can South Africa Lead the Region? Rising Stakes: Climate and Migration in South Africa Climate change increasingly drives migration in southern Africa. In Gauteng, a 2023 study found that environmental stresses were significant indirect factors influencing mobility among migrants. Floods, droughts, and extreme weather events intersected with economic pressures
Drying of the Okavango Delta: Migration Health Implications for Botswana, Namibia, Angola and South Africa The Okavango Delta, one of Botswana’s iconic ecosystems, is facing severe environmental stress. Rainfall in the Delta catchment—the Angolan highlands and Namibia—has dropped to the lowest levels since 1981. (neweralive.na) Six villages in the Boro/Xharaxao area were abandoned due to
Coordinated or Fragmented? Climate‑Migration Governance in the SADC Region Opening: Climate migration in focus In March 2024, heavy flooding in Mozambique’s Zambezia Province displaced more than 120 000 people. Many migrants came from Malawi and Zimbabwe after prolonged droughts destroyed livelihoods. Urban informal settlements quickly became overcrowded. Southern Africa faces rising heat, stronger storms, floods, and droughts,
Kenya’s Approach to Climate Migration: Implications for South Africa Opening: A Case in Point In north-eastern Kenya’s arid lands, decades of drought have forced many pastoralist communities to relocate or adapt their livelihoods. A recent study of the Maasai in Laikipia County found drought is the main driver of migration aspirations (icld.se). Meanwhile, in South
Climate Migration and Xenophobia in South Africa: Policy Implications for Health and Social Inclusion Introduction In early 2025, heavy rains and floods displaced thousands in the Eastern Cape and other provinces. These climate-driven events add pressure to existing migration flows and intersect with persistent xenophobia in South Africa. This post examines how climate migration amplifies
Hidden Links Between Rising Sea Levels and Internal Displacement in South Africa’s Coastal Communities Opening: When the Tide Forces Movement In April 2022, heavy rains and flooding hit eThekwini (Durban), killing over 400 people. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and tens of thousands had to relocate temporarily. Along South Africa’s coastline, sea levels are rising at
