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 […]
Southern Africa’s Climate Migration in 2050: Preparing Health Systems Today Opening: A Changing Migration Horizon Imagine Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, in 2050. Urban sprawl is no longer driven solely by economic migration. Increasingly, people move because climate change has destroyed rural livelihoods. Rural communities in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique face worsening droughts, failing crops, and water
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
When the Pasture Runs Thin: Drought & Mobility in the Karoo Region Opening: A pastoral crisis in motion In South Africa’s arid heartland, the Karoo stands out. The Central Karoo alone recorded a mere 53 mm rainfall in 2019 and 66 mm in 2020, marking one of its driest stretches in memory. agriorbit.com Over the same period livestock
Are South African Cities Ready for Climate-Induced Migration? Lessons for Johannesburg and Cape Town from Global Climate-Mobility Strategies Opening: Floods, droughts, and urban pressures In June 2025, heavy floods in the Eastern Cape displaced hundreds of families. Extreme weather events like this are not isolated. Climate change is already driving internal migration across South Africa.
Colonial Labour Recruitment and Its Enduring Impact on South African Migration and Health Introduction: Colonial Foundations of Migration Routes Colonial-era labour recruitment systems laid the groundwork for enduring migration patterns to South Africa. Institutions like the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WNLA) orchestrated the movement of workers from regions such as Lesotho, Mozambique, and Botswana to
