Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants

Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Baumann, Chiara Manina
Other Authors: McGowan, Patrick J.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2010
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613785049530368
access_status_str Open Access
author Baumann, Chiara Manina
author2 McGowan, Patrick J.
author_browse Baumann, Chiara Manina
McGowan, Patrick J.
author_facet McGowan, Patrick J.
Baumann, Chiara Manina
author_sort Baumann, Chiara Manina
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4347
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:39.515Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2010
publishDateRange 2010
publishDateSort 2010
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4347 A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants Baumann, Chiara Manina McGowan, Patrick J. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Theses -- Political science Dissertations -- Political science Asylum-seekers -- South Africa Zimbabwean refugees Zimbabwe -- Social conditions -- 1980- Illegal aliens -- South Africa -- Government policy South Africans -- Attitudes Illegal aliens -- Moral and ethical aspects Political Science Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a study of the South African government‘s response toward Zimbabwean immigration, focusing on the period from 2000 to July 2009. The aim is to shed light on why the government has acted in the manner that it has, using a human security framework. South Africa‘s legal obligations under international, regional, and domestic law are investigated and the ethical debate concerning issues of entrance and borders is explored. Concepts of morality, universality, and human dignity are central to this discussion. Against this backdrop, the Zimbabwean migration is briefly analysed in terms of push and pull factors and numbers; and the legal debate concerning the classification of Zimbabweans is explored. The challenges Zimbabweans face in South Africa and how the government has dealt with the Zimbabwean immigration is covered. Key actors from civil society and government are interviewed in an attempt to engage opinions about the government‘s response. The main opinions as to why the government has responded in the manner it has are then discussed and other factors are considered. Issues of solidarity, land reform, and South Africa‘s involvement in the Zimbabwean mediation process are some of the factors considered. The conclusion of this study is that the South African government has not succeeded in meeting its legal obligations nor acted ethically concerning Zimbabwean immigrants. The particular sentiments of ex-president Thabo Mbeki, the solidarity amongst national liberation movements, regional considerations, and the capitalist interests of some South Africans are factors that carry the most weight in explaining the South African government‘s response to the Zimbabwean crisis and its subsequent migrants. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is 'n studie van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se reaksie op die immigrasie van Zimbabwiërs na Suid-Afrika, met die klem op die tydperk tussen 2000 en Julie 2009. Die doel is om lig te werp op die regering se optrede in dié tydperk aan die hand van 'n menslike veiligheidsnetwerk. Suid-Afrika se regsverpligtinge onder internasionale, streek- en plaaslike reg, sowel as die etiese debat rakende kwessies soos die binnekoms van immigrante en grense, word ondersoek. Konsepte van moraliteit, universaliteit en menslike waardigheid , staan sentraal tot hierdie bespreking. Teen hierdie agtergrond word die Zimbabwiese migrasie kortliks ontleed in terme van die stukrag-en-trefkrag faktore en getalle; en word die regsdebat oor die klassifisering van Zimbabwiërs onder die loep geneem. Die uitdagings wat Zimbabwiërs in Suid-Afrika in die gesig staar en hoe die regering Zimbabiese immigrasie hanteer het, word bekyk. Onderhoude is gevoer met sleutelspelers in die burgerlike samelewing en die regering in ‗n poging om agter die kap van die byl te kom met betrekking tot die regering se reaksie op Zimbabwiese immigrasie. Die belangrikste standpunte ten opsigte van die regering se optrede word dan bespreek in die lig van faktore soos solidariteit, grondhervorming, en Suid-Afrika se betrokkenheid by die Zimbabwiese mediasieproses. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering nie daarin geslaag het om sy regsverpligtinge na te kom nie, en nie eties korrek opgetree het nie met betrekking tot Zimbabwiese immigrante. Die sentimente van oudpres. Thabo Mbeki, die solidariteit onder die nasionale bevrydingsbewegings, en die kapitalistiese belange van sekere Suid-Afrikaners, is van die belangrikste faktore aan die hand waarvan die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se reaksie op die Zimbabwiese immigrasie-krisis verklaar word. Masters 2010-02-10T14:54:16Z 2010-08-13T15:01:54Z 2010-02-10T14:54:16Z 2010-08-13T15:01:54Z 2010-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4347 en University of Stellenbosch ix, 126 p. application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Theses -- Political science
Dissertations -- Political science
Asylum-seekers -- South Africa
Zimbabwean refugees
Zimbabwe -- Social conditions -- 1980-
Illegal aliens -- South Africa -- Government policy
South Africans -- Attitudes
Illegal aliens -- Moral and ethical aspects
Political Science
Baumann, Chiara Manina
A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title_full A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title_fullStr A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title_full_unstemmed A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title_short A legal and ethical analysis of the South African government’s response toward Zimbabwean immigrants
title_sort legal and ethical analysis of the south african government s response toward zimbabwean immigrants
topic Theses -- Political science
Dissertations -- Political science
Asylum-seekers -- South Africa
Zimbabwean refugees
Zimbabwe -- Social conditions -- 1980-
Illegal aliens -- South Africa -- Government policy
South Africans -- Attitudes
Illegal aliens -- Moral and ethical aspects
Political Science
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4347
work_keys_str_mv AT baumannchiaramanina alegalandethicalanalysisofthesouthafricangovernmentsresponsetowardzimbabweanimmigrants
AT baumannchiaramanina legalandethicalanalysisofthesouthafricangovernmentsresponsetowardzimbabweanimmigrants