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Full Names: Petkou Chamba Lawrence
C/o Department of Sociology and Population Development Studies,
Nelson Mandela Drive 5117 Mthatha
Republic of South Africa
Tel: 047 502 2282
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Email contact: chambalarry@hotmail.com ; cpetkou@wsu.ac.za
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Academic status: Ph.D. Sociology
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Institutional Affiliation: Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Department of
Sociology and Population Development Studies
Surviving in Hostile Grounds: Transmigrants in Johannesburg
Transnational organization in post conflict reconstruction
ABSTRACT:
Urban immigrants worldwide use different strategies in their host communities to fend
for themselves. Amongst immigrants’ strategies, is to become a transmigrants and
dealing in small trading and business activities including those marginal to the law. As
migrants live their lives across international boundaries, they cultivate strong backward
linkages with their home countries. Elsewhere, they are termed transmigrants. This paper
presents as part of a marginalized class the experiences of Cameroonian and Nigerian
migrants, by examining their socio-economic survival strategies in Johannesburg. ‘Westa-phobia’ is used in the article to describe the negative perception, the resultant fear,
discrimination and xenophobic hostility towards these immigrants in South Africa. Based
on qualitative analysis from some 112 questionnaires, observations and in-depth
interviews with Cameroonian and Nigerian immigrants, this paper illustrates how
marginalized immigrants live their lives in South Africa and their home countries, and
engage in different economic activities as a way of surviving away from home. Findings
suggest that, despite ‘West-a-phobia’, immigrants still survive in their host and home
countries largely because they are transmigrants and small business dealers.