MIGRANTS, CRIMINALS AND STATE SECURITY
CONCERNS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA: THE IMPLICATIONS OF LABELLING ON MIGRANT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA
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Title
MIGRANTS, CRIMINALS AND STATE SECURITY
CONCERNS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA: THE IMPLICATIONS OF LABELLING ON MIGRANT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA
CONCERNS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA: THE IMPLICATIONS OF LABELLING ON MIGRANT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Creator
GIFT MASENGWE
BEKITHEMBA DUBE
Description
This article discusses the policy aims of the South African Department of
Home Affairs (DHA) because it exposes foreign nationals, women and
migrants to differential treatment in South Africa today. The study involved
migrant labourers in Polokwane and Gauteng working on the farms, mines
and industries. Economic opportunities offered by South Africa after 1994
turned it into a migrant-receiving country, requiring legal control to potential
visitors, refugees or foreign labourers to avert the problem of fugitives
running away from the law. Participants for the qualitative study were
randomly and conveniently drawn from a sample of Zimbabweans and
Mozambicans. Media Assisted Interviews (MAIs) also Mobile Instant
Messaging Interviews (MIMIs) used a mobile messenger, WhatsApp in the
study. Participants ranged from those with expired visas to those without
passports at all. The study established a correlation between the
contemporary immigration policy and the South African Apartheid Aliens
Control Act of 1991 that restricted foreign African nationals but did not
restrict white foreign nationals. The South African immigration policy has
justified both politicians and nationals to act violently against foreign African
nationals causing great turmoil among migrants in South Africa. The study
found out that South Africa’s immigration policy criminalises all migrants
and securitises nationals through fear by reports such as the seven percent proportion of children of foreign natives born in South Africa becoming
native foreigners. This study is couched in new discourses of decoloniality
by emphasising on use of regional, continental, and international templates to benchmark progressive immigration policy aims for South Africa.
Home Affairs (DHA) because it exposes foreign nationals, women and
migrants to differential treatment in South Africa today. The study involved
migrant labourers in Polokwane and Gauteng working on the farms, mines
and industries. Economic opportunities offered by South Africa after 1994
turned it into a migrant-receiving country, requiring legal control to potential
visitors, refugees or foreign labourers to avert the problem of fugitives
running away from the law. Participants for the qualitative study were
randomly and conveniently drawn from a sample of Zimbabweans and
Mozambicans. Media Assisted Interviews (MAIs) also Mobile Instant
Messaging Interviews (MIMIs) used a mobile messenger, WhatsApp in the
study. Participants ranged from those with expired visas to those without
passports at all. The study established a correlation between the
contemporary immigration policy and the South African Apartheid Aliens
Control Act of 1991 that restricted foreign African nationals but did not
restrict white foreign nationals. The South African immigration policy has
justified both politicians and nationals to act violently against foreign African
nationals causing great turmoil among migrants in South Africa. The study
found out that South Africa’s immigration policy criminalises all migrants
and securitises nationals through fear by reports such as the seven percent proportion of children of foreign natives born in South Africa becoming
native foreigners. This study is couched in new discourses of decoloniality
by emphasising on use of regional, continental, and international templates to benchmark progressive immigration policy aims for South Africa.
Publisher
University of Free State
Date
2024
Files
Collection
Citation
GIFT MASENGWE and BEKITHEMBA DUBE, “MIGRANTS, CRIMINALS AND STATE SECURITY
CONCERNS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA: THE IMPLICATIONS OF LABELLING ON MIGRANT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA,” ZOU Institutional Repository, accessed August 21, 2025, https://ir.zou.ac.zw/items/show/374.
CONCERNS IN CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICA: THE IMPLICATIONS OF LABELLING ON MIGRANT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA,” ZOU Institutional Repository, accessed August 21, 2025, https://ir.zou.ac.zw/items/show/374.
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