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 […]
Climate, Displacement and Hunger: Why Migrants in South Africa Are on the Frontline In 2023, a household survey in Gauteng found that migrant households in the region had markedly higher risk of food insecurity than native-born households — even after controlling for employment, household size, and other socioeconomic factors. Wiley Online LibraryAt the same time,
Long-Term Health Implications of Dietary Acculturation for Second-Generation African Migrants in South Africa Introduction: Migration and Metabolic Risk Consider a hypothetical child, born in Johannesburg to parents who migrated from rural Limpopo. At home, the family still eats traditional meals such as maize porridge (pap), leafy greens, and pulses. Outside the home, at school and
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
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
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
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
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.
African Migration and Urbanization in Johannesburg: Policy, Health, and Social Implications Introduction: Migration and the Changing Face of Johannesburg Johannesburg is South Africa’s economic powerhouse. It has become one of the most prominent migrant-receiving cities in Africa. In 2022, South Africa hosted over 4 million international migrants. Johannesburg absorbed the largest proportion (UN DESA, 2022).
What is the connection between African migration and urbanization in Johannesburg? Read More »
Migration Health in South African Cities Addressing the Critical Intersection of Urbanization, Migration, and Public Health in Post-Apartheid South Africa Introduction: The Convergence of Crisis and Opportunity In Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, 22-year-old Nomsa* (name changed) recently moved from rural Limpopo to seek employment opportunities. Like thousands of other internal migrants, she settled in an informal
