Exploring the Voice of Populist Movements in the Employment of Foreign Nationals: A Comparative Study of Botswana and South Africa
Keywords:
Populist Movements; Employment; Foreign Nationals; Policies; Immigrants; Economy
Abstract
Labour immigration has been on the rise and has had policy implications for public leaders of relatively stable Southern African Development Corporation (SADC) countries. In this paper, the status of populism and labour immigration in Botswana and South Africa was explored. The primary sources of labour immigration are Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Economic disparities and the disintegration of the socio-economic conditions of the neighbouring countries have been major antecedents for the labour movements of the masses. The study utilised a qualitative method and comparative case study design. The study found that populist movements have much influence on the termination of employment of foreign nationals in Botswana and South Africa as shown by their anti-immigrant attitudes, market protectionism, and close-the-borders protests. As these measures have become inefficient over the years, policies and proposals are recommended in response.
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Matsa, W. (2020). Background to the Nature of International Migration in the African Continent and Zimbabwe. Marginality, Migration, and Education, 1-10.
Maunganidze, O. A., & Formica, J. (2018). Freedom of movement in Southern Africa: a SADC (pipe) dream? ISS Southern Africa Report, 18(17): 1-24.
Mlambo, V. H. (2017). Cross-border migration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC): Benefits, problems, and future prospects. Journal of Social and Development Sciences, 8(4): 42-56.
Mlambo, V. H. (2020). Consolidating regional integration through a free movement protocol: the quest for collective development in the SADC. African Journal of Governance & Development, 9(2): 455-471.
Mogalakwe, M. (2008). The making of a foreign “labour aristocracy” in Botswana. Employee Relations, 30(4): 422-435. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450810879385.
Mokoena, E. (2020). The role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in promoting democracy and good governance in Zimbabwe.
Moyo, I. (2017). Zimbabwean cross-border traders in Botswana and South Africa: Perspectives on SADC regional integration. Migration, Cross-Border Trade, and Development in Africa, 43-62.
Moyo, I. (2020). African Informal Migrant Traders in Johannesburg: Experiences on the Ground and Implications on Human Mobility in the SADC. Migration Conundrums, Regional Integration, and Development, 213-225.
Moyo, I. (2020). Migration and the spatial mobility of borders in the Southern African region. Borders, Mobility, Regional Integration and Development, 113-124.
Moyo, I. (2020). On borders and the liminality of undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 18(1): 60-74.
Moyo, I. (2020). On decolonising borders and regional integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Social Sciences, 9(4): 32.
Moyo, I., & Nshimbi, C. C. (2019). Border practices at Beitbridge border and Johannesburg Inner City: Implications for the SADC regional integration project. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 54(3): 309-330.
Nakayama, Y. (2018). Multilateral migration governance in SADC countries. African Studies Center–Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan. Working Papers, 29-43.
Ndebele, L. (2021, Nov 09). Botswana moves to restrict business activities for foreigners. News24. Mar 26, 2022, from https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/botswana-moves-to-restrict-business-activities-for-foreigners-20211109.
Ng’andu, P. (2019). Challenges of Combating Illegal Immigration as Cross Border Crime Among Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Member States: Case Study of Zambia. globalization, 74.
Ngwenya, M. B. (2021). The integration of international migration: a comparative study of South Africa and Australia.
Ngwenyama, J. (2018, April 7). WATCH: EFF shows solidarity with Shoprite workers, bad service at the hospital. Kempton Express. March 22, 2022, from https://kemptonexpress.co.za/270359/eff-fights-corruption-at-tembisa-hospital-and-shoprite/.
Nkrumah, B. (2021). Political opportunism: Populism as a new political tactic in South Africa. In Africa’s radicalisms and conservatisms (pp. 117-140). Brill.
Nshimbi, C. C. (2018). Issues in African informality-what is the relevance for regional or continental integration? Africa Insight, 48(1): 41-61.
Nshimbi, C. C., & Moyo, I. (2017). History, Trends, and Dynamics of Cross-Border Movements and Trade in the SADC Region. Migration, Cross-Border Trade, and Development in Africa, 1-13.
Nshimbi, C. C., & Moyo, I. (2018). Informal immigrant traders in Johannesburg: The scorned cornerstone in the Southern African development community integration project. Africa Now! 387-413.
Nshimbi, C. C., Moyo, I., & Gumbo, T. (2018). Between neoliberal orthodoxy and securitisation: Prospects and challenges for a borderless southern African community. Crisis, Identity, and Migration in Post-Colonial Southern Africa, 167-186.
Rantsimako, S. (2019, April 18). Gov’t castigated over poor working conditions. March 23, 2022. https://www.thegazette.news/news/govt-castigated-over-poor-working-conditions/.
Segatti, A. (2017). The Southern African Development Community: a walk away from the free movement of persons? Migration, Free Movement and Regional Integration, 47.
Shabani, T. (2019, May 2019). Botswana: BTU Leader Decries Low Wages, Corruption. Daily News. March 26, 2022, from https://allafrica.com/stories/201905020140.html.
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Unaludo, S. (2019). Botswana-South Africa economic relations: a history, 1966-2014. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339827743_BOTSWANA-SOUTH_AFRICA_ECONOMIC_RELATIONS_A_HISTORY_1966-2014/citation/download.
Vanyoro, K. P. (2019). Regularising labour migration of Zimbabwean domestic workers in South Africa.
WageIndicator Foundation. (2022, January 5). Minimum wage – Botswana. March 25, 2022, from https://wageindicator.org/salary/minimum-wage/botswana.
Waller, R., Hodge, S., Holford, J., Milana, M & Webb, S. (2017). Political populism and adult education. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 36 (4), 383-386.
Wentzel, A. 2016. Intermediate Research Skills 2. Colombia [Online]. Available: https://www.academia.edu/21959160/2._Intermediate_Research_Skills_Workshop_2_Argumentati ve_writing_2016_ [2019, April 01].
Woyo, E. (2017). Visa policies and visa openness scores in SADC–an exclusion element of tourism development in Southern Africa: a critical interjection. Atna Journal of Tourism Studies, 12(2): 67-83.
Yesufu, S. (2021). Harmonising Road Transport Legislation in the SADC Region for Crime Prevention. Insight on Africa, 13(1): 28-55.
Published
2023-04-13
How to Cite
Utete, R., Zhou, S., & Ayodele Ajani, O. (2023). Exploring the Voice of Populist Movements in the Employment of Foreign Nationals: A Comparative Study of Botswana and South Africa. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 6(4), 308-322. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v6i4.1170
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