Reconceptualising Migration in South Africa

This chapter reflects on the concept of migration in South Africa in the migrant labour system, which is ill-defined and poorly understood. Historically, the understanding of this concept has been framed within the country's colonial past, which was rooted in a racial and gender segregated system. The representation of this concept is colonial and Eurocentric. This chapter utilises a decolonial lens to provide a critical discussion of migration and the meanings attached to this concept. Migration is diverse; however, its representations failed to capture its complexities. Thus, the aim of this chapter is to reconceptualise the distorted and stereotypical understanding of migration in South Africa. A dynamic and fluid approach to understanding migration is recommended, one that transcends race, class, and territorial divides.