Migration on the Rise: Examining the South Africa-Zimbabwe Corridor in 2024
In recent months, the South Africa-Zimbabwe migration corridor has seen a remarkable surge in movement. According to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in July 2024 the corridor recorded 32,309 movements, constituting 92% of all migration flows across Zimbabwe's official border points. The sharp rise in these figures underscores the persistent socio-economic challenges driving Zimbabweans across the Limpopo River into South Africa in search of better opportunities. The South Africa-Zimbabwe corridor is one of Africa’s busiest,...
Operation Vala Umgodi shows the ties between irregular migration and irregular mining, but should migrants be criminalized?
Operation Vala Umgodi exposes the connections between irregular migration and the coercion of migrants in South African mines. Launched earlier this year, it has led to the arrest of hundreds for the illegal extraction of minerals. Though initially aimed at curbing illegal mining, the operation has revealed deep ties between the extractive sector — especially the informal one — and the trafficking of migrants into South Africa. While effective in combating illegal mining, the treatment of...
