Refugee Entrepreneurial Economies in Urban South Africa

Authors

  • Jonathan Crush Balsillie School of International Affairs
  • Godfrey Tawodzera University of Limpopo
  • Cameron McCordic Balsillie School of International Affairs
  • Sujata Ramachandran Balsillie School of International Affairs
  • Robertson Tengeh Cape Peninsula University of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14426/ahmr.v3i2.825

Keywords:

Refugees, Informal sector, Entrepreneurial economies, Xenophobia, Cape Town

Abstract

The case-study literature on refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa is
dominated by an overwhelming focus on the problems they face and their
marginalised existence, reinforcing an image of victimhood, exploitation and
vulnerability. In this paper, we seek to broaden the image of refugees and their
economic impacts beyond a narrow focus on their marginal status and
vulnerable position. They are viewed here as dynamic agents with skills and
capabilities who can play an integral role in transforming local settings and
contributing to economic development. This paper presents and discusses the
results of a survey of over 1,000 refugee informal business-owners in Cape Town
and small-town Limpopo.