All quiet on the social work front’

Experiences of Zimbabwean day labourers in South Africa

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9972008
AutoresDerick Blaauw (0000-0001-8750-4946, North-West University), Phillip F Blaauw (North-West University), Rinie Schenck (0000-0001-5299-5335, University of the Western Cape, autor de correspondencia), Catherina J Schenck (University of the Western Cape), Anna M Pretorius (North-West University), Christiaan H Schoeman (University of Johannesburg)
Año2015
Volumen60
Número2
Páginas351-365
Fecha de publicación2015-09-23
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Social Work (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0020-8728 • E-ISSN: 1461-7234
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0020872815594223
OpenAlexW2341147331
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas16

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 harmony

Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Government (linguistics · Harmony (color · Political science · Politics · Refugee · Sociology · Work (physics · Homelessness and Social Issues · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work