Rural migrants and their social networks in an urban setting : the case of Joe Slovo Park, Cape Town

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and purpose of migrant social inMarconi Beam Informal Settlement, and Joe Slovo Park. The study found thatmigrant social networks served both economic and cultural functions. Through theirsocial networks migrants seek to maximise their remittances to their areas as well asto convey information about the availability of jobs and housing conditions in the city.Newly arrived migrants depend on their kin and village mates for food, shelter, andsense of belonging in an environment that can otherwise be hostile. Similarly intimes of crisis such as redundancy, property losses migrants can call on the supportwithin their immediate area of residence or from other members based in their ruralareas of origin. Furthermore, migrants visit their rural areas of origin to partake inmarriages, initiation ceremonies, and funeral service. And many of the migrants whodie in the city are transported to the rural areas for burial. Migrant social networksdemonstrate the complex interconnectedness of the urban and rural spheres of life inboth the economic and cultural aspects of life.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University