WhatsApp Remittances and Health: The Cost of Feeding Families Across Borders Money From Abroad, Vegetables at Home, and the Economics of Eating Clean A 32-year-old electrician from Harare never thought he would leave Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, economic collapse forced him out. Today, he lives in Cape Town’s informal settlements, working casual jobs. However, his WhatsApp notifications […]
Zimbabwean Migrants in Johannesburg: From Traditional Diets to Urban Foods Nutritional Transitions Among Introduction: A Changing Food Landscape In Johannesburg’s dense urban neighbourhoods—Hillbrow, Berea, Rosettenville, Yeoville—Zimbabwean migrants face rapid shifts in their diets. A 2023 Johannesburg Migrant Food Security Study found that 62% of Zimbabwean migrants reported significant dietary changes within their first year in
Overcrowding and Disease Transmission Among SADC Migrants in Hillbrow Opening: A Dense Reality with High Stakes Hillbrow, Johannesburg’s inner-city, is a microcosm of density, diversity—and vulnerability. Once a well-maintained apartment district, decades of neglect, high migration, and poverty have transformed parts of Hillbrow into overcrowded, under-serviced high-rises. Wikipedia+1 Research shows that more than half of
Deportation Policies in South Africa: Implications for Migrant Workers and Their Families Introduction: The Human Cost of Deportation Policies Between November 2023 and early 2024, South Africa witnessed a troubling trend. Police unlawfully arrested asylum seekers at Refugee Reception Offices across the country. Many of these individuals faced detention and deportation without full access to
Trade Unions and Migrant Worker Protection in South Africa’s Informal Economy: Challenges and Solutions A Crisis in Plain Sight In January 2024, armed Operation Dudula members descended on the Beitbridge border post. They aimed to physically prevent Zimbabwean migrants from entering South Africa. Meanwhile, in Johannesburg’s townships, Maria (name changed), a 34-year-old Zimbabwean domestic worker,
The Urban Health Emergency Unfolding in Real Time In the bustling township of Alexandra, Johannesburg, Dr. Sarah Mthembu witnessed firsthand the strain migration places on urban health systems. With Africa experiencing a 25-percent growth in intra-continental migrants over the last decade—from 12 million in 2015 to 15 million in 2024, her clinic now serves triple
How Does African Migration Affect South Africa’s Urban Landscapes? Read More »
