An assessment of economic (in)security challenges faced by migrant women in Madibeng Local Municipality area

Abstract

This study set out to explore the economic security challenges of international migrant women in Madibeng Local Municipality in the North West province of South Africa. The study adopted human security as its conceptual framework. A qualitative research design was used. The snowball sampling method was used to select a study sample of 19 international migrant women. Data were collected using semi- structured interviews. The study found that all the interviewed international migrant women (19) were experiencing chronic economic insecurity although they were economically active. Thirteen (13) of the participants were in wage labour and 6 were self-employed. Participants had access to an income, but the monthly income was not equal through-out the year. The wages were seasondependent. Most participants (17) were employed in fixed-term contracts; with two in verbal and ambiguous contracts. Entrepreneurship by the international migrant women was not by choice but a means to survive. The women preferred formal employment to running small businesses. Accessing a wage/salary does not necessarily equate to economic security. Seasonal work, contracts of not more than a year and lack of documentation from the Department of Home Affairs, were some of the main economic security challenges that international migrant women experienced. Economic (in)security is a condition that changes with time. The economic insecurity of most women worsened en-route to South Africa while for others it worsened as soon as they arrived in South Africa. However, the economic security for all the international migrant women improved with length of stay in South Africa. Lastly, recommendations for future research were suggested. Economic reasons were the main push factors while social networks were the main pull factors, for the interviewed international migrants to come to South Africa. The research also found out that “stokvels” and “saving clubs” were some of the devised plans to help the women to save their income. Social networks were important for saving and also helped the migrant women to secure jobs around the area.