August 22, 2006
By Melissa Hoffman
MIGRANTS to Johannesburg – who often struggle with adjusting to a new environment – will be able to find help via a help desk to be set up by the City's department of community development.
The helpdesk "will, amongst other things, provide advice on how to access government services", said Johannesburg executive mayor Amos Masondo.
This will be just one step in "ensuring migrants to this city feel they are part of an inclusive city", according to Masondo.
Professor Jonathan Crush, director of SAMP, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo and MMC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
The mayor was speaking at a media briefing about a workshop on Migration and Urban Governance hosted by the City of Johannesburg, and the Southern Africa Migration Project, the South African Cities Network and the Municipal Development Partnership for Eastern and Southern Africa.
The three-day workshop takes place from 21 August to 23 August in Braamfontein.
An important development in terms of the City tackling the issue of migration is the drawing up of a draft support strategy for migrants. This will be done by the end of the year by the department of community development.
"This strategy will be informed by the City's Human Development Strategy [Johannesburg's strategic framework for addressing poverty, inequality and social exclusion]," Masondo added.
The workshop was intended to bring together policy-makers, City managers and researchers to share experiences and discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by migration.
Migration – both internally and cross-border – is reshaping the economies and social structures of southern Africa's towns and cities, posing challenges to local governments and administrations in areas such as housing, social services and health care.
Many of these challenges are common to all cities, according to Professor Jonathan Crush, the director of the Southern African Migration Project (SAMP). "The sharing of experiences and best practices can help us to ensure that migration enhances rather than undermines social and economic development."
He pointed out that there were lessons to be learnt from partners in the Southern African Development Community and internationally.
Migration was an integral part of the city's make-up and "local governments [need to] continue to grapple with the challenges of migration, diversity and urban governance", Masondo said, pointing out that Johannesburg had a long history of migrants arriving in the city – starting with the gold rush more than 100 years ago.
Managing diversity
"Local governments need policies and actual practice to manage diversity and promote integration amongst residents in their own areas of jurisdiction," he added.
In meetings City representatives had had with migrant communities during official road shows, issues raised included the need for access to clinics and medication, language barriers and difficulties in enrolling children in local schools.
"Local government in South Africa, including the City of Johannesburg, is committed to ensuring that all those who live within its jurisdiction and abide by its laws have a decent quality of life," Masondo said.
Skilled migrants who maintain ties with their countries of origin may also stimulate the transfer of technology and capital, the mayor said. Return migration may increase the positive effects that migration can have on development.
'Receiving' countries are therefore not the only ones to see positive changes in their economies. 'Sending' countries also reap benefits when migrants send remittances to their families back home.
"Migrants also contribute to enhancing the richness and cultural diversity of the city. New forms of artistic expressions as well as the contribution they make to enhance competitive sports help to collectively create a better and more vibrant social-scape for the city," Masondo said.
The draft strategy on migrants is also expected to include an awareness campaign aimed at dealing with xenophobia. "The way to address xenophobia is to ensure we conscientise as many people as possible".
However, "you can't just change behaviour and attitudes merely by preaching", Masondo said. He suggested that as locals interact with migrants and get to know them, migrants would be seen for who they are – ordinary people looking for economic opportunities.
"Only a small group involved in criminal activity bedevils the atmosphere. That should not cloud our thinking and lead us to categorise all foreigners [negatively]" he warned.
Crush said that "in order to educate we need to know who the migrants are, what they are doing, and what they contribute".
Estimating the number of migrants coming to the city monthly was a difficult task and figures tended to be exaggerated, Crush added. He stressed that this question could not be separated from questions on xenophobia.
"Recognition of diversity as a source of urban strength and enrichment rather than a problem is a first step towards equity and participation. This approach should be internalised by all local elected public representatives," Masondo concluded.
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