The Impact of COVID-19 on African Migrants and Mobility in South Africa

Abstract

he coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in December 2019, is one of the greatest challenges currently facing the world. It has adversely affected various sectors of the world, including the transportation system and the movement of individuals. To curb the spread of the disease, governments of various nations, including South Africans state, have taken various steps and measures that include movement restrictions, border closure, massive testing, contact tracing and quarantines. In the absence of a face-to-face interview or data collection measures due to COVID-19 safety measures, the study took its data from social media observations and online secondary sources (official gazette), while the analysis is descriptive. The study analysed the various effects of COVID-19 on African migrants and their mobility in South Africa, along with the various income sources and remittance challenges. Finally, the study avers that the wellbeing and welfare of migrants should be taken into consideration during the pandemic.