‘All quiet on the social work front’: experiences of Zimbabwean day labourers in South Africa
Date
2017Author
Blaauw, Phillip F.
Pretorius, Anna M.
Schenck, Catherina J.
Schoeman, Christiaan H.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Migration, particularly when triggered by economic or political hardship, has significant psychological
and socio-economic consequences for the individuals concerned. While an impressive amount of
research has been conducted by social workers into migration in North America, Europe and
Asia, the same cannot be said for Africa. The continent has high numbers of displaced people
and refugees, yet no Africa-linked research on migration has been published by the social work
profession. This article addresses this gap in the literature by focusing specifically on Zimbabwean
day labourers in South Africa. Survey results reveal that these migrants face intense competition
for scarce jobs, and thus economic uncertainty, and are often victimised. It is incumbent upon
the social work profession to expose the vulnerable conditions in which day labourers have
to operate, and to mobilise a coordinated response from relevant government and non-profit
organisations in the interests of greater social justice and harm