Impact of Migrants on the Socio-Economy of South Africa

Introduction

The control on human mobility and efforts undermine the continuous shape on politics, economy, and society. Despite the need for improved policy responses to human mobility, reform is hindered by lack of capacity, misinformation, and anti-migrant sentiments within and outside of government. The migration within South Africa creates a tension and trend in the demographic and socio-economic values. Based on the reports, there is a significant development and potential in international migrants’ skills and entrepreneurialism.

Background and Problem Statement

In the increasing number of migrants on South Africa it enhances the remittances and trade. Thus, it also expands the markets for South African products and services, particularly in the non-nationals. Despite the potential benefits, there are severe obstacles to immigration reform, such as the increase in the population, increase in poverty, corruption, and even the health cases like the HIV/Aids. The significant problems governs the domestic mobility includes the municipal budgets. Due to the investigation of the previous studies, there are recommendations that can be applicable in South Africa (Landau & Kabwe-Segatti, 2009). However, what are the other impacts of migration that affects the socio-economic situation of South Africa?

Research Aim and Objectives

The main aim of the study is to investigate the impact of immigration on the socio-economic factors of South Africa. To support this aim, there are objectives that need to be considered. First is to identify the causes of immigration in the country. Second is to recognize the situation of the migrants as traced from the previous 5 years up to the present. And third is to compare the socio-economic situations between the migrants and the African nationals.

Research Questions

1. What are the identified common causes of migration in South Africa?

2. What are the situations of the migrants in their selected place for settlement?

3. What are the similarities and differences of the migrants and African nationals in terms of socio-economic situations and right?

Literature Review

Due to the increase of migrants in South Africa, a conceptual consideration should be rearranged and examine the documented migrants against the undocumented migrants. There are future planning and management of migrants in both regional and local authorities with an emphasis on the policies. This focus of the government on the population of South Africa is the result from the debates over the governance and development regarding the migration mainstreaming that will definitely affect the national planning, particularly on the human development (Landau & Kabwe-Segatti, 2009). For the investigation of the previous studies, there is an increase trend in the cases of HIV/Aids which gives an idea that it is associated with the continuous increase in the number of migrants in South Africa. Yearly, there is a recorded series of deaths caused by HIV/Aids and this toll increases due to the lack of the health policies and governmental regulations. In the extreme, the case of survival of both migrants and nationals is a question now that South Africa has a 70% related cases on HIV and Aids (CHG, 2004). In the comparison on the nature of immigrants from the other countries (mostly developed countries), it suggests that the labor remains a strong reason for most of the migrants. The globalization of migration in the other countries makes a more diverse socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic stream. This tends to push the appropriate government policies that attempts to ameliorate the impact of immigration, especially in the third rated countries like South Africa (ECLAC, 1998). Migration is fundamentally linked to the changes in the socio-economic status of the individuals and households. The success of the strategy depends on the employment status of the migrants. As for the “new economics of labor immigration”, the links between the migration and socio-economic status can be also identified in a response to the wage differences (Collinson, et al., 2009).

Methodology

The suggested method in the study is the use of the secondary information concerning the population and migration issues of South Africa. The materials can be used are the organizational and national reports, the case studies that presents the arguments between the migrant population and African nationals populations. The study believed that there is a conflict in between the socio-economic of South Africa and the migrants have a significant impact on this effect. Therefore, the focus of the method will fall on the examination on between populations. In addition, the important information can be also obtained from the World Bank and African Organizations.

References:

CHG, (2004) Africa: The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS, Economic Commission for Africa- Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa [Online] Available at: http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/adult_death/SOCIO_ECO_IMPACT.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2010].

Collinson, M.A., Clark, S.J., Gerritsen, A.M., Byass, P., Kahn, K., & Tollman, S,M., (2009) The Dynamics of Poverty and Migration in a Rural South African Community, 2001‐2005 [Online] Available at: http://www.csss.washington.edu/Papers/wp92.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2010].

ECLAC, (1998) The Impact of Immigration on Caribbean Microstates: Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Saint Maarten, United States Virgin Islands, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean [Online] Available at: http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/0/10340/carg0540.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2010].

Landau, L.B., & Kabwe-Segatti, A.K., (2009) Human Development Impacts of Migration: South Africa Case Study, United Nations Development Program [Online] Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2009/papers/HDRP_2009_05.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2010].