Livelihood strategies of marginalised Zimbabwean women living in South Africa

abstract

Zimbabwean women constitute a significant number of migrants living in South Africa. Both accompanying spouses and lone Zimbabwean migrant women face challenges in securing formal employment and are often forced to establish informal businesses for their survival. Drawing on qualitative interviews, this study explored perceived challenges and triumphs encountered by Zimbabwean women in informal trading across South Africa. All the women indicated that they established survivalist businesses once in South Africa. Lack of fulfilling employment, poor wages, family financial pressures, disruptions and exclusion from social welfare benefits during the coronavirus lockdown were some of the factors that pushed migrant women into informal businesses. Establishment of informal businesses protected women from resorting to commercial sex work and other transactional relations. Challenges encountered include lack of funding to establish their businesses, low returns, crime, sexual harassment from clients, extortion, and fear of xenophobic attacks. Despite these challenges, Zimbabwean women described how they managed to build a strong clientele and improve their financial wellbeing in the process. Funding institutions can support migrant women through the provision of business loans, and training women on how to run businesses and saving. This will financially empower migrant women and protect their physical, sexual, and mental health.

keywords:

• migrants
• women
• marginality
• informal trading
• coronavirus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emma Shuvai Chikovore

EMMA SHUVAI CHIKOVORE is a Population and Health Social Scientist and currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Her research interests include migration and gender studies, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, fertility transitions and family studies. Email: [email protected]

Pranitha Maharaj

PRANITHA MAHARAJ is a Professor in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. She has worked extensively in the field of migration and recently published an edited book on ‘Migrant traders in South Africa’. Email: [email protected]