The Ban on “Tropical Natives” and the Promotion of Illegal Migration in Pre-Apartheid South Africa

Abstract

Abstract:This article examines the historical as well as contemporary significance of South Africa’s 1913 ban on the recruitment of migrant workers from areas north of latitude 22 degrees south. This ill-conceived policy not only criminalized the employment of so-called “tropical natives” in South Africa but also triggered contestations, fueling illegal migration from the restricted areas. By 1933, when the ban was lifted, illegal migration from Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) had become a major site of contestations among policymakers, labor agents, business owners, and migrant workers in South Africa. While the dominant narrative in Southern Africa holds that illegal migration only became an issue of concern after the end of apartheid rule, this phenomenon has a much longer history in the subregion. Identifying factors that push people to move from one country to another and those that force or encourage travelers to cross international boundaries without following official channels facilitates the understanding of the complexities involved in cases of illegal migration wherever this practice exists. While low wages and other sources of insecurity in colonial Zimbabwe may indeed have compelled many people to consider moving to South Africa, such factors did not cause migrants to use unofficial channels in crossing the border. Rather, South Africa’s ban imposed numerous barriers, rendering it difficult for those seeking work to cross between the two countries through legal and/or formal channels.

Escaping the ‘diaspora trap’: A narrative of struggle and resilience by an unskilled Zimbabwean migrant in South Africa.

“…There are several plausible reasons for the lack of uptake for stateled repatriation and/or return initiatives in Africa, which include the dominance of intraregional migration where most migrants migrate to countries within their regions of origin (Teye/Awumbila/Benneh 2015;Awumbila 2017). Southern Africa has the same experiences as the rest of the African continent, with South Africa continuing to be the continental magnet of immigration from neighboring countries and a considerable proportion being irregular migrants (see for instance, Musoni 2018;. That means, state supported return schemes and repatriation on the scale of countries in the European Union would be unviable from both a cost and logistical point of view.…”

The golden opportunity: Recruitment of “foreigners” into the Witwatersrand by mining corporations, 1913-1933

“…26 Undeterred, most migrants continued to travel to the mines illicitly because the authorities could not differentiate between South African and non-South African mine-workers. 27 This was because of the inconsistencies and contradictions among government officials, particularly since it was unclear when the ban was implemented, whether these migrants were banned from the mines on the Rand, or whether the prohibition was effective across the entire country. Illegal migrants soon came up with new ways and strategies to evade the system, making full use of the assistance of licensed and unlicensed labour recruiters alike, all of whom were working on behalf of South African mining corporations and local farmers.…”